Institute for Public Policy Research

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding the Environment Agency provided to  (a) the IPPR and  (b) IPPR Trading Ltd in each year since May 1997; and for what purpose funding was provided.

Ian Pearson: The Environment Agency is required to keep finance records only for six years.
	The value of payments made by the Environment Agency (EA) to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) or IPPR Trading Limited in each year since 2002 (excluding VAT) was as follows. For all items over £200, the Environment Agency has identified the purpose of the payment.
	
		
			  Year  Purpose of payment  Amount (£) 
			 2002 n/a 200 
			 2003 Report on sustainable development 5,000 
			 2004 Sustainable development event 5,000 
			 2005 Report on water efficiency 5,000 
			 2005(1) Environmental behaviour change debate 2,000 
			 2006 Supporting low carbon economy debate 5,000 
			 2006(1) Environmental debate 2,500 
			 (1) The EA holds events either jointly or on its own to debate environmental issues on the fringes of each of the three main party political conferences. These invoices reflect such events.

Air Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the annual absolute carbon emissions of the parliamentary estate were in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: The annual absolute carbon emissions of the House of Commons estate in each of the last three years from gas and electricity are in the following table.
	
		
			  Absolute carbon emissions in tonnes 
			   Gas  Electricity  Total 
			 2003-04 1,158.9 2,257.6 3,416.5 
			 2004-05 1,078.8 2,270.3 3,349.0 
			 2005-06 1,163.1 2,302.7 3,465.8 
		
	
	Gas consumption reduced in 2004-05 and then increased in 2005-06; due to fluctuations in heating energy consumption caused by variations in outside temperatures measured in degree days. The following table shows the degree days for the Thames Valley region which includes London. From these figures a higher emission would have been expected in 2005-06. That it was not so is due to the installation of more efficient Palace boilers in 2004.
	
		
			  Degree Days 
			   Number 
			 2003-04 1,740 
			 2004-05 1,703 
			 2005-06 1,869 
		
	
	The steady increase in carbon emissions from electricity was due to an increase in electricity consumption in the Palace and 7 Millbank. This was due mainly to the installation and usage of more air conditioning units.
	The figures have been calculated from gas and electricity invoices and not meter readings taken by estate staff, but estimated invoices were amended using actual meter readings where possible. Natural gas invoices list several multiplying factors used to calculate each month's consumption and the existing monitoring and targeting system used on the parliamentary estate, based on staff meter readings, is not as sophisticated and therefore not as accurate.
	The figures for the years 2001-02 and 2002-03 have not been calculated since the energy invoices for those two years are not readily available.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of non-housing revenue account expenditure on homeless households in temporary accommodation in each year since 2002-03.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Non-housing revenue account expenditure on homeless households in temporary accommodation (nominal terms ) 
			  £ million 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Estimated GB temporary housing expenditure 307 374 501 599 
			 Subsidised 244 308 456 551 
			 Unsubsidised 62 66 45 48 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-housing revenue account expenditure on homeless households in temporary accommodation (real terms 2006-07 prices) 
			  £ million 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Estimated GB temporary Housing expenditure 339 402 524 615 
			 Subsidised 271 331 477 566 
			 Unsubsidised 69 71 47 49 
			 Notes: 1. Expenditure data is taken from local authorities' subsidy returns. 2. All figures are final audited data with the exception of 2005-06 which is provisional (pre-audited) data. 3. GDP deflator is the latest available as at 5 pm on 12 March 2007, last updated 21 December 2006, and is taken from www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/gdp_deflators/data_gdp_fig_cfm 4. Due to historical differences in the treatment of Scottish rent rebate expenditure, it is not possible from local authority subsidy returns to identify all expenditure on temporary accommodation in Scotland. These figures may therefore slightly understate temporary accommodation expenditure. From an assessment of the England and Wales data, we estimate that this understatement would be of the order of £1-2 million.

Income Support

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of children lived in households in receipt of income support in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Numbers of children living in households in receipt of income support (IS) in Great Britain; as at April each year 
			   Number of dependent children in IS households  Percentage of dependent children 
			 2004 1,978,650 17.6 
			 2005 1,865,720 16.7 
			 2006 1,828,275 16.4 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded the nearest five. 2. Figures exclude a very small number of cases that are held clerically. 3. Figures are for children dependent on a parent/guardian claiming income support. 4. Due to the introduction of child tax credits in April 2003, information on child dependents held on the benefit computer system is not reliable; therefore children data have been merged onto income support claims from child benefit records with permission of HMRC.  Source: DWP and HMRC data

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many information technology projects within the responsibility of his Department, its agencies and their predecessors have been cancelled since 1997; what the total cost was of each project at cancellation; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001.
	The Department undertakes a large number of projects which deliver business change and policy initiatives. IT changes are an enabling component of many projects. The number of projects in train at any one time will vary and the duration of the project lifecycle is often more than one calendar year. The following table includes only those projects that have been formally closed where the IT element is such that non-delivery of the IT would significantly damage the project's ability to deliver its intended results and the investment in the project has exceeded £1 million.
	
		
			  Project name  Investment expenditure (£ million) 
			 Document Management (closed 2006-07) 1.4 
			 Retirement Planner (closed 2004-05) 11.2 
			 E-enabled Retirement Pension (closed 2006-07) 1.8 
			 Benefits Processing Replacement Programme (BPRP) (closed 2006-07) (1)135 
			 Customer Accounting and Payment Strategy (closed 1999-2000) 127 
			 Debt Accounting and Management System (closed 1999-2000) 13 
			 (1 )Including future commitments 
		
	
	A significant amount of the investment in BPRP is of future value to the Department. We estimate that at least half of the sum invested (around £73 million) is of future value to the Department. Similarly the benefits realised by the Debt Accounting and Management System project exceeded the costs incurred of £13 million and thus no actual loss occurred.
	The costs of the Customer Accounting and Payment System are the estimated costs for that project at the time of closure.

Means Tested Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of each means-tested benefit administered by his Department in each year since 1990-91.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Income support (IS) and minimum income guarantee (MIG) recipients in Great Britain each year, 1990 to 2006 
			   AIMS  MIG  Non-MIG  IS for the unemployed 
			 May 1990 4,180,000 1,675,000 1,442,000 1,063,000 
			 May 1991 4,487,000 1,575,000 1,577,000 1,335,000 
			 May 1992 5,088,000 1,643,000 1,783,000 1,662,000 
			 May 1993 5,643,000 1,736,000 1,987,000 1,920,000 
			 August 1994 5,702,000 1,785,000 2,109,000 1,887,000 
			 August 1995 3,931,000 1,737,000 2,193,000 1,681,000 
			 August 1996 4,007,000 1,727,000 2,278,000 1,502,000 
			 August 1997 3,991,000 1,687,000 2,305,000 n/a 
			 August 1998 3,863,000 1,624,000 2,239,000 n/a 
			 August 1999 3,849,000 1,598,000 2,251,000 n/a 
			 August 2000 3,892,000 1,637,000 2,254,000 n/a 
			 August 2001 3,998,000 1,724,000 2,275,000 n/a 
			 August 2002 3,998,000 1,740,000 2,259,000 n/a 
			 August 2003 4,041,000 1,800,000 2,241,000 n/a 
			 August 2004 2,202,000 11,000 2,191,000 n/a 
			 August 2005 2,148,000 10,000 2,138,000 n/a 
			 August 2006 2,138,000 10,000 2,129,000 n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Pension credit recipients in Great Britain as at August each year, 2004 to 2006 
			   Number 
			 August 2004 2,593,000 
			 August 2005 2,697,000 
			 August 2006 2,728,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Income-based jobseeker's allowance recipients in Great Britain as at August each year, 1997 to 2006 
			   Number 
			 1997 1,182,000 
			 1998 1,031,000 
			 1999 928,000 
			 2000 800,000 
			 2001 695,000 
			 2002 664,000 
			 2003 635,000 
			 2004 588,000 
			 2005 634,000 
			 2006 708,000 
			 n/a = Not applicable  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000. 2. Pension credit was introduced on 6 October 2003 and replaced minimum income guarantee (income support for people aged 60 or over). The vast majority of people who were previously in receipt of the minimum income guarantee transferred to pension credit in October 2003 however some residual cases remain on the income support statistics. 3. income support for the unemployed was replaced by income-based jobseeker's allowance in October 1996. 4. IS figures for August 1994 to August 1998 and all JSA (IB) figures have been derived by applying 5per cent. proportions to 100 per cent. WPLS totals. 5. Some income-based JSA claimants may also be entitled to benefit via the contributory route.  Source: DWP 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS), DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. samples and IS ASE 5 per cent. data

New Deal

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost to his Department of each new deal programme has been in each year since 2001.

Jim Murphy: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  New deal costs since 2001 
			  £ million 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 New deal for young people 308 314 264 254 198 
			 New deal 25 plus 213 238 189 179 125 
			 New deal 50 plus 87 87 41 3 1 
			 New deal for lone parents 46 62 20 24 26 
			 New deal for disabled people 10 31 28 65 68 
			 New deal for partners 8 6 0 1 1 
			 Admin n/a n/a 111 113 121 
			  Notes: 1. Figures include all new deal costs including administrative expenditure up to 2002-03. Information on administrative expenditure by individual new deal is not available for 2003-04 and later years. 2. Spend data also includes allowances paid to participants apart from the 50 plus element of the working tax credit which is the responsibility of HMRC. As this is not included, new deal 50 plus costs reduce after 2002-03. 3. Spend on new deal for partners in 2003-04 was less than £0.5 million and is thus not recorded as figures are rounded to the nearest £ million. 4. Start dates for each programme are: new deal for young people: January 1998; new deal 25 plus: July 1998; new deal for lone parents: October 1998; new deal 50 plus: April 2000; new deal for disabled people: July 2001; new deal for partners: April 1999.  Source:  Department for Work and Pensions Financial Control Division

Pensioners: Tees Valley

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners live in  (a) Hartlepool borough council and  (b) Tees Valley sub-region areas; how many are in receipt of council tax benefit; and what percentage this represents of the total number of pensioners living in each area.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Council tax benefit recipients by age and local authority, August 2006 
			  Local authority  Council tax benefit recipients aged 60 and over( 1)  Population aged 60 and over  Percentage of population aged 60 and over in receipt of council tax benefit 
			 Darlington 5,090 22,200 23.0 
			 Hartlepool 6,390 19,200 33.3 
			 Middlesbrough 7,880 27,000 29.2 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 8,270 32,800 25.2 
			 Stockton on Tees 8,910 37,100 24.0 
			 (1) Council tax benefit figures exclude any second adult rebate cases.  Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Council tax benefit caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10 and percentages to one decimal place. 3. Population figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 4. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 5. "Aged 60 and over" is defined as benefit units where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 and over. Therefore figures will contain some claimants aged under60 where there is a partner aged over 60 years.  Source: Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system. Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in August 2006; and mid-2005 ONS population estimates

Sports: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much  (a) the Government and  (b) the Big Lottery Fund spent on elite sport, including facilities and major events, in each of the last five years; and how much is planned to be spent in each of the next five years.

Richard Caborn: UK Sport is the Government's lead agency for elite sport in the UK and a lottery distributor. The table provides details of the level of Government and national lottery funding to UK Sport over the last five years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Exchequer funding  Lottery funding  Total 
			 2002-03 5,100,000 22,100,000 27,200,000 
			 2003-04 11,500,000 17,700,000 29,200,000 
			 2004-05 16,400,000 14,300,000 30,700,000 
			 2005-06 16,300,000 15,700,000 32,000,000 
			 2006-07 35,400,000 40,500,000 75,900,000 
		
	
	Over the next five years UK Sport plans to invest approximately £508.6 million of Exchequer and lottery money in elite sport.
	Sport England provides some funding for English non-Olympic sports at elite level and, prior to April 2006, also provided elite funding to English Olympic sports. This funding was wholly from the lottery and was made via Sport England's world class programmes. This ran between1997 and 2005 and a total of £236,679,512 was provided over this period.
	Since 1 April 2005, Sport England's investment in national governing bodies (NGBs) has been made via whole sport or one stop plans. Between 2005 and 2009 Sport England estimates that £59 million will be distributed to support elite sport
	On 9 March Sport England launched its proposals for NGB investment between 2009 and 2013. This will determine future funding for non-Olympic elite sports.
	The plan is to have funding agreements in place by March 2008.
	Figures from Sport England show that the following capital amounts have been spent to build or refurbish elite sports facilities (defined for this purpose as the English institutes of sport and the national sports centres) over the period 02-03 to 06-07:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Exchequer funding  Lottery funding  Total 
			 2002-03 0 24,792,379 24,792,379 
			 2003-04 100,000 3,525,565 3,625,565 
			 2004-05 391,000 49,833,172 50,224,172 
			 2005-06 1,117,000 0 1,117,000 
			 2006-07 624,000 0 624,000 
		
	
	In addition, DCMS, Sport England and the London Development Agency have contributed £161 million (£120 million Lottery and £41 million Exchequer) towards the cost of the Wembley Stadium project which opened its doors for the first time on 17 March 2007; and Sport England and DCMS have contributed £11 million towards the cost of the Lee Valley athletics centre (£7 million lottery and £4 million Exchequer) which opened formally in January 2007.
	Sport England anticipates spending an additional £3 million in the period up to 2007-08 on the national sports centres.
	Funding on elite sports facilities beyond 2007-08 will be subject to the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review.
	UK Sport distributes lottery funding each year, through the world class events programme, to support NGBs' bidding and staging costs for major sporting events. Between 2002 and 2006 UK Sport invested £1.6 million a year in this programme. From 2007 it will be investing £3.3 million a year.
	The big lottery fund money has not allocated any funding to support elite sport.

Departments: Advertising

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

David Hanson: Information on advertising campaign expenditure is not held centrally in the format requested. However the following tables show the information currently held on departmental advertising expenditure. This information is available for the past two financial years but is not broken down by campaign. A breakdown in relation to  (a) television,  (b) radio,  (c) print media and  (d) other is supplied in the following tables. Category  (d) includes other forms of advertising, for example outdoor advertising, cinema and online. The new Advertising Shared Service Centre, which becomes operational on 1 April, is currently developing a management information system to collate information on campaign and classified expenditure.
	
		
			  2005-06 
			  £ 
			   Television  Radio  Print  Other  Total 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister — — — — — 
			 Agriculture and Rural Development — 3,540 93,589 500 96,629 
			 Culture, Arts and Leisure — — 4,422 — 4,422 
			 Education — — — — — 
			 Employment and Learning 220,505 60,565 51,523 200,586 533,179 
			 Enterprise, Trade and Investment — — 26,747 40 26,787 
			 Environment 1,507,242 80,488 78,070 178,989 1,844,789 
			 Finance and Personnel — — — 234,797 234,797 
			 Health, Social Services and Public Safety 157,521 73,430 21,624 39,862 292,437 
			 Regional Development — — — — — 
			 Social Development — — — — — 
			 Northern Ireland Office 146,529 76,325 73,491 53,311 349,656 
		
	
	
		
			  2004-05 
			  £ 
			   Television  Radio  Print  Other  Total 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister 157,900 40,421 305 43,114 241,740 
			 Agriculture and Rural Development — — 141,317 36,600 177,917 
			 Culture, Arts and Leisure — — — — — 
			 Education 11,660 4,548 — — 16,208 
			 Employment and Learning 230,848 69,997 81,844 205,062 587,751 
			 Enterprise, Trade and Investment — 36,000 — 11,394 47,394 
			 Environment 1,433,926 79,556 58,815 67,303 1,639,600 
			 Finance and Personnel — — 60,999 100,348 161,347 
			 Health, Social Services and Public Safety 62,400 39,399 80,601 121,201 303,601 
			 Regional Development — — — — — 
			 Social Development — — 2,919 — 2,919 
			 Northern Ireland Office 46,849.00 30,380.00 156,052.05 34,443.00 267,724.05

Elderly People

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged 90 years or over were living in Northern Ireland in each year since 1995.

David Hanson: The following table gives the official estimates of the population of Northern Ireland of residents aged 90 years and over, from 1995 to 2005.
	
		
			  Northern Ireland mid-year population estimates for residents aged 90 years or over, 1995 to 2005 
			  Registration year  Persons aged 90 and over 
			 1995 6,500 
			 1996 6,900 
			 1997 7,000 
			 1998 7,300 
			 1999 7,300 
			 2000 7,200 
			 2001 7,300 
			 2002 7,400 
			 2003 7,500 
			 2004 8,000 
			 2005 8,300

Roads: Bangor

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) fatal and  (b) non-fatal accidents occurred at Six Road Ends in Bangor in each of the past six years; and what assessment was made of the cause in each case.

Paul Goggins: I have been advised by the PSN1 that as there may be ongoing civil and criminal proceedings in respect of these collisions it is not possible to provide causation factors for each specific collision.
	Please see the following table detailing history of injury road traffic collisions at the Six Road Ends junction, Bangor, covering the period from 1 January 2001 through to 31 December 2006.
	
		
			  1 January to 31 December  Fatal collisions  Serious collisions  Slight collisions  All collisions  Killed  Seriously injured  Slightly injured  All casualties 
			 2001 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 
			 2002 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 
			 2003 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 
			 2004 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 
			 2005 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 
			 2006 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 3 
			  Notes:  1. 2006 figures are provisional and subject to amendment.  2. Please note that collisions that occur at or within 50 metres of this junction are included.  3. Due to ongoing validation, this information may be subject to change.   Source:  Central Statistics Unit, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Lisnasharragh.

Afghanistan: Detainees

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations her Department has made to the US to ensure the safe return of former residents of  (a) the UK and  (b) UK overseas territories being held at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.

Kim Howells: The Government are not in a position to provide consular or diplomatic protection to non-British nationals, including those detainees in Guantanamo Bay, who were formerly resident in the UK or UK overseas territories.
	However, we agreed in March 2006 to make representations to the US government for the release of Mr. Bisher al-Rawi, an Iraqi national formerly resident in the UK, from Guantanamo Bay and his return to the UK. That decision was based on the particular circumstances in his case. On 6 April 2006, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) wrote to the US Secretary of State to ask formally for Mr. al-Rawi's release and return. Detailed discussions between our Governments have continued ever since. While these are sensitive and complicated issues that take tie, we are fully committed to securing Mr. al-Rawi's release from Guantanamo Bay and his return to the UK.
	The Government continue to raise humanitarian concerns about detentions at Guantanamo Bay with the US authorities, including issues relating to detainees who were formerly resident in the UK.

Pakistan: Religious Persons

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many imams were granted entry clearance from Pakistan to carry out religious duties in the UK in each year since 1995.

Kim Howells: The information requested by my hon. Friend is listed as follows:
	
		
			  Visas granted to Imams from Pakistan 1995-2006 
			   Number 
			 1995-97 0 
			 1998 33 
			 1999 25 
			 2000 31 
			 2001 134 
			 2002 46 
			 2003 40 
			 2004 68 
			 2005 22 
			 2006 23 
			 Total 422

Coroners: Armed Forces

James Gray: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what extra funding and staffing has been given to the Oxfordshire Coroner to assist with the cost of military inquests incurred due to the use of RAF Brize Norton for the repatriation of bodies; and what additional resources will be given to the Wiltshire Coroner when those duties are transferred to RAF Lyneham on 1 April.

Harriet Harman: To clear the backlog of military inquests the Oxfordshire coroner has been provided with the funding authority to employ three additional assistant deputy coroners, three additional coroner's officers, one additional administrative officer and recording equipment to enable two courts to run simultaneously. To date, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has received invoices totalling £115,000 for this additional resource. It is not planned to provide additional resources to the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner who we understand intends to transfer as many of the military inquests as he can to the coroners. I will continue to regularly review the progress of military inquests.

Departments: Advertising

Michael Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

Harriet Harman: Since its inception in June 2003, the Department for Constitutional Affairs has conducted the following advertising:
	a regional poster campaign on buses to promote recruitment to the lay magistracy
	a national campaign to promote recruitment to the lay magistracy
	radio and press adverts to target court fine defaulters (under the title Operation Payback)
	press adverts to promote voting fraud prevention
	invitations in the legal press to comment on Lord Carter's Review of Legal Aid Procurement
	a campaign in London to encourage voter registration by 18 to 24-year-olds
	My Department has not conducted any television advertising since June 2003.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Project  Radio  Press/poster 
			 2003-04 Operation Payback (Phase 1) 79,000 133,000 
			  Magistrate recruitment — 431,000 
			 
			 2004-05 Operation Payback (Phase 2) 95,000 164,000 
			  Magistrate recruitment — 124,000 
			 
			 2005-06 Postal voting — 188,000 
			  Magistrate recruitment 107,000 522,000 
			  Operation Payback (Phase 3) 2006 94,000 158,000 
			  Lord Carter's Review of Legal Aid Procurement — 24,000 
			  Voter registration 62,000 — 
			 
			 2006-07 Operation Payback (Phase 4) — 21,000 
			  Magistrate recruitment 8,617 62,000

Departments: Trade Unions

Theresa May: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many meetings  (a) she and  (b) her Department's Ministers held with trade union representatives in 2006.

Harriet Harman: During 2006  (a) I held two meetings with trade union representatives;  (b) other Ministers in my Department held 13 meetings with trade union representatives, as set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Lord Falconer (1)5 
			 Baroness Ashton (1)1 
			 Vera Baird 0 
			 Bridget Prentice (1)10 
			 (1) Two meetings with union representatives were held jointly by Lord Falconer and Bridget Prentice and one jointly by Lord Falconer and Baroness Ashton.

Miscarriages of Justice: Family Courts

John Hemming: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  which Minister would be responsible for assessing whether systemic miscarriages of justice were occurring in the family courts;
	(2)  if she will establish a review of family court cases where Dr. David Southall retained a special case file.

Harriet Harman: My right hon. Friend The Lord Chancellor is responsible for supporting the efficient and effective administration of the courts. The judiciary is primarily responsible for guarding against miscarriages of justice and they are entirely independent of the executive. It is open to the parties in an individual case to seek legal advice about the route to appeal if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of the case.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has inquiry-ordering powers in relation to the exercise by local authorities of their children's services functions. In 2004, a review of cases that were before the family courts, and of children where the courts has made care orders (under section 31 of the Children Act 1989) was undertaken by local authorities at the request of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, the results of which were reported to Parliament. There are currently no plans to conduct a review of family court cases in which Dr. David Southall has been involved.

Admissions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many admissions appeals were heard for pupils in the Peterborough Local Education Authority in each year since 1997; how many were successful; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 23 March 2007
	The information requested is shown in the table, as reported by schools and local authorities.
	
		
			  Appeals lodged by parents against non-admission of their children to maintained primary and secondary schools 1997/98 to 2004/05, Peterborough local authority area 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			Appeals heard  Appeals decided in parent's favour   Appeals heard  Appeals decided in parent's favour 
			   Number of appeals lodged  No .  %( 1)  No .  %( 2)  Number of appeals lodged  No .  %( 1)  No .  %( 2) 
			 1997/98 96 90 93.8 44 48.9 146 131 89.7 59 45.0 
			 1998/99 153 112 73.2 43 38.4 181 157 86.7 63 40.1 
			 1999/2000 101 58 57.4 18 31.0 190 163 85.8 65 39.9 
			 2000/01 101 65 64.4 30 46.2 167 147 88.0 59 40.1 
			 2001/02 94 60 63.8 25 41.7 257 235 91.4 93 39.6 
			 2002/03 58 42 72.4 14 33.3 139 125 89.9 27 21.6 
			 2003/04 86 60 69.8 29 48.3 154 140 90.9 47 33.6 
			 2004/05 74 46 62.2 20 43.5 213 188 88.3 58 30.9 
			 (1) Number of appeals heard by a panel expressed as a percentage of the number of appeals lodged by parents.  (2) Number of appeals decided in parents' favour expressed as a percentage of the number of appeals heard by a panel.   Source:  Admission Appeals Survey and the Annual Schools Census.

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many people in  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) advanced apprenticeships (i) were participating in a programme-led apprenticeship and (ii) had successfully completed the full framework of a programme-led apprenticeship in each year since the inception of programme-led apprenticeships;
	(2)  what the non-completion rate was for  (a) programme-led apprenticeships,  (b) programme-led advanced apprenticeships,  (c) non-programme-led apprenticeships and  (d) non-programme-led advanced apprenticeships in each year since the inception of programme-led apprenticeships.

Phil Hope: Figures for those participating in apprenticeships funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) can be derived from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The work-based learning (WBL) ILR was collated as an interim collection for the first time in 2001/02 and figures are presented from that time.
	The programme-led pathway (PLP) is an initiative to enable more learners to enter an employed status apprenticeship programme. When they achieve their agreed goals, learners cease to be on a PLP and then become mainstream apprentices. Learners could start their pathway in WBL or FE (completing their non-employed learning). Once they attain employed status they will transfer to mainstream WBL.
	It is possible to calculate participation for programme-led apprenticeships from the ILR data, but because it is difficult to accurately identify learners in mainstream WBL who started on a pathway, progression onto mainstream apprenticeships cannot be accurately calculated. The concept of framework achievement is not appropriate for programme-led pathways because an apprenticeship can only be completed in full, in employment. As the programme-led phase is not employment, learners on this pathway can only ever finish part of the framework.
	Non-completion is not a standard measure for apprenticeships. (A learner could complete all of their learning but not gain achievement.) One measure of performance is the success rate, which is calculated as the number of leavers who either meet all of the requirements of their apprenticeship framework, or achieve an NVQ required by the framework, divided by the number of learners who have either left training or successfully completed their programme.
	The following table shows the success rate for apprenticeship courses on an annual basis.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  England  Advanced apprenticeship success rate  Apprenticeship success rate 
			 2001/02 26 22 
			 2002/03 32 24 
			 2003/04 32 30 
			 2004/05 38 40 
		
	
	In order to successfully complete an apprenticeship the learner must achieve each element required by their particular framework; that would include an NVQ, Key Skills and any other required qualification.

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2007,  Official Report, column 1249W, on apprentices, how many and what proportion of  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) advanced apprenticeships had (i) a separately assessed off-the-job technical certificate and (ii) their technical qualification integrated into the delivery and assessment of the National Vocational Qualifications in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: holding answer 21 March 2007
	Data on Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships is collected on the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Individualised Learner Record (ILR). This can record all of the individual learning aims that an Apprentice is undertaking as part of the framework, including those identified as separate technical certificates. However, we are unable to identify whether an Apprenticeship framework without a technical certificate is because  (a) the learning is integrated into the delivery and assessment of the NVQ; or  (b) the learner has previously achieved this qualification.

Departments: Advertising

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

Alan Johnson: The Department's total spend on advertising campaigns since 1997 has been:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1997-98 9,992,000 
			 1998-99 15,673,000 
			 1999-2000 11,900,000 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide a breakdown of campaigns before 2000.
	
		
			  Campaign  £ 
			  2000-01  
			 Don't Quit Now 2,700,000 
			 New deal 50 plus 2,400,000 
			 ICT Employability 2,011,000 
			 Childcare Recruitment 1,821,000 
			 Parent's Magazine 1,484,000 
			 Disability Discrimination 1,242,000 
			 Fast Track Teachers 1,056,000 
			 Modern Apprenticeships 856,000 
			 Individual Learning Accounts 612,000 
			  29,110,000 
			  2001-02  
			 Adult Basic Skills 'Get on' 5,096,143 
			 Childcare recruitment 2,504,000 
			 Science Year 2001/02 1,803,000 
			 Excellence Challenge 1,750,000 
			 Modem Apprenticeships 1,670,000 
			 Foundation Degree 1,325,000 
			 Fast Track Teachers 1,250,000 
			 Millennium Volunteers 848,000 
			 Parents' Magazine 770,000 
			 New Deal 25+ 633,000 
			  17,665,000 
			  2002-03  
			 Adult Basic Skills 5,478,117 
			 Childcare Recruitment 2,741,377 
			 Aim Higher 2,649,999 
			 Connexions 1,320,331 
			 HE Funding 655,000 
			 Foundation Degree 549,397 
			  13,790,000 
			  2003-04  
			 Adult Basic Skills 6,672,938 
			 Aim Higher 4,190,018 
			 Childcare Recruitment 2,986,659 
			 Foundation Degrees 2,813,787 
			 Connexions 2,608,005 
			  20,170,000 
		
	
	
		
			  2004-05 
			  £ 
			   Press budget national  Press budget regional  TV air time  Radio air time  Total 
			 EMA 2004/05 679,169 — 995,627 320,137 1,994,933 
			 Sure Start Month 2004/05 127,002 — — — 127,002 
			 Adult Basic Skills Gremlins 2004/05 269,980 309,773 2,940,663 726,321 4,246,737 
			 Teenage Pregnancy (DFES) 2004/05 19,130 — — 960,997 980,127 
			 Student Finance 2004/05 183,136 — — 684,236 867,372 
			 DFES Classified/Recruitment Advertising 2004/05 31,434 — — — 31,434 
			 EMA Summer Activity 2004/05 136,317 — — 97,950 234,267 
			 Fast Track Teaching 2004/05 69,342 — — — 69,342 
			 Foundation Degrees 2004/05 — — — 483,463 483,463 
			 DFES Childcare 2004/05 — 281,269 — — 281,269 
			 EMA (February to March) 2004/05 579,272 149,726 244,994 350,342 1,324,334 
			 Need to Know 2004/05 — — — 275,116 275,116 
			 DFES Parents Centre 2004/05 172,284 — — — 172,284 
			  2,267,066 740,768 4,181,284 3,898,562 11,087,680 
		
	
	
		
			  2005-06 
			  £ 
			   Press budget national  Press budget regional  TV air time  Radio air time  Total 
			 DFES Sure Start 2005/06 2,527 — —  2,527 
			 EMA 2005/06 170,803 — 785,980 304,526 1,261,309 
			 Teenage Pregnancy 2005/06 143,155 — 400,390 537,859 1,081,404 
			 Childcare Recruitment 05/06 — 288,672 — 302,086 590,758 
			 DFES Adult Basic Skills—Gremlins 2005/06 — — 1,237,864 206,596 1,444,460 
			 DFES Adult Basic Skills—Gremlins Miscellaneous 2005/06 125,687 — — — 125,687 
			 Student Finance 2005/06 196,158 — 1,400,455 460,172 2,056,785 
			 DFES Parents Centre 2005/06 142,771 — — — 142,771 
			 ECM Press Advertising 2005/06 1,984 — — — 1,984 
			 Foundation Degrees 2005/06 412,942 — — 221,412 634,354 
			 Fast Track Teaching 2005/06 17,806 — — — 17,806 
			 DFES Parenting Franchise (Direct Gov Launch) 2005/06 292,565 — — 147,313 439,878 
			 DFES Education and Learning—Launch Campaign 2005/06 — — — 85,479 85,479 
			 Need to Know 2005/06 — — — 53,971 53,971 
			  1,506,398 288,672 3,824,690 2,319,515 7,939,275

Education: Per Capita Costs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the amount of money available to each English local education authority per school pupil was in the school year 1996-97 in  (a) actual and  (b) real terms at 2007 prices, ranked in order of the amount of grant available from his Department.

Jim Knight: holding answer 21 February 2007
	The figures in the following table show the education blocks of the 1996-97 Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) settlement (part of the Local Government Finance Settlement from what was then Department of Environment) plus Grants for Education, Support and Training from the then Department for Education and Employment. The table does not include the Isles of Scilly and the City of London due to their small size.
	
		
			  Funding for pupils aged five to 15 and reflects the 132 local authorities that existed in 1996-97 
			  LEA  Cash terms  Real terms 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,520 4,370 
			 Lambeth 3,500 4,350 
			 Hackney 3,470 4,310 
			 Southwark 3,320 4,120 
			 Islington 3,300 4,100 
			 Camden 3,260 4,050 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,230 4,010 
			 Lewisham 3,210 3,990 
			 Greenwich 3,130 3,890 
			 Westminster 3,080 3,820 
			 Wandsworth 3,050 3,790 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,030 3,760 
			 Haringey 3,030 3,760 
			 Newham 3,010 3,740 
			 Brent 2,970 3,690 
			 Waltham Forest 2,870 3,560 
			 Ealing 2,750 3,420 
			 Hounslow 2,710 3,370 
			 Manchester 2,670 3,320 
			 Enfield 2,650 3,290 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,640 3,280 
			 Croydon 2,620 3,250 
			 Redbridge 2,600 3,230 
			 Knowsley 2,580 3,200 
			 Merton 2,550 3,170 
			 Barnet 2,540 3,150 
			 Harrow 2,540 3,150 
			 Liverpool 2,540 3,150 
			 Hillingdon 2,530 3,140 
			 Birmingham 2,510 3,120 
			 Sutton 2,500 3,100 
			 Bexley 2,460 3,050 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,450 3,040 
			 Havering 2,440 3,030 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,430 3,020 
			 Middlesbrough 2,430 3,020 
			 Wolverhampton 2,420 3,010 
			 Isle of Wight Council 2,420 3,010 
			 Hertfordshire 2,410 2,990 
			 Bradford 2,400 2,980 
			 Bromley 2,390 2,970 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 2,390 2,970 
			 Sandwell 2,380 2,960 
			 Bedfordshire(1) 2,380 2,960 
			 Essex(1) 2,380 2,960 
			 Coventry 2,370 2,940 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 2,370 2,940 
			 Berkshire(1) 2,370 2,940 
			 Salford 2,360 2,930 
			 Doncaster 2,360 2,930 
			 East Sussex(1) 2,360 2,930 
			 Kent(1) 2,360 2,930 
			 Surrey 2,360 2,930 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,350 2,920 
			 Buckinghamshire(1) 2,350 2,920 
			 Wirral 2,340 2,910 
			 Rochdale 2,340 2,910 
			 South Tyneside 2,340 2,910 
			 Oldham 2,330 2,890 
			 Gateshead 2,330 2,890 
			 Sunderland 2,320 2,880 
			 City of Bristol 2,320 2,880 
			 Hartlepool 2,320 2,880 
			 Walsall 2,310 2.870 
			 Sheffield 2,310 2,870 
			 Cornwall 2,310 2,870 
			 Durham(1) 2,310 2,870 
			 West Sussex 2,310 2,870 
			 Rotherham 2,300 2,860 
			 Calderdale 2,300 2,860 
			 Hampshire(1) 2,300 2,860 
			 Oxfordshire 2,300 2,860 
			 Kirklees 2,290 2,840 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2,290 2,840 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2,290 2,840 
			 Lincolnshire 2,290 2,840 
			 Norfolk 2,290 2,840 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,280 2,830 
			 Nottinghamshire(1) 2,280 2,830 
			 Barnsley 2,270 2,820 
			 North Tyneside 2,270 2,820 
			 Cambridgeshire(1) 2,270 2,820 
			 Cumbria 2,270 2,820 
			 Devon(1) 2,270 2,820 
			 Lancashire(1) 2,270 2,820 
			 Northumberland 2,270 2,820 
			 St. Helens 2,260 2,810 
			 Sefton 2,260 2,810 
			 Bolton 2,260 2,810 
			 North Yorkshire 2,260 2,810 
			 Leicestershire(1) 2,260 2,810 
			 Shropshire(1) 2,260 2,810 
			 Leeds 2,250 2,790 
			 Somerset 2,240 2,780 
			 Northamptonshire 2,230 2,770 
			 Wigan 2.220 2,760 
			 Derbyshire(1) 2,220 2,760 
			 Dorset(1) 2,220 2,760 
			 Gloucestershire 2,220 2,760 
			 Hereford and Worcester(1) 2,220 2,760 
			 Wiltshire(1) 2,220 2,760 
			 Tameside 2,210 2,740 
			 Trafford 2,210 2,740 
			 Wakefield 2,210 2,740 
			 Cheshire(1) 2,210 2,740 
			 Suffolk 2,210 2,740 
			 Warwickshire 2,210 2,740 
			 Dudley 2,200 2,730 
			 Bury 2,200 2,730 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 2,200 2,730 
			 York 2,200 2,730 
			 Staffordshire(1) 2,190 2,720 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 2,180 2,710 
			 Solihull 2,170 2,690 
			 Stockport 2,160 2,680 
			 North Somerset 2,160 2,680 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,120 2,630 
			 England 2,370 2,940 
			 (1) LEAs affected by local government re-organisation in 1997-98.  Notes: 1. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) settlement and Grants for Education, Support and Training. 2. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to per pupil are those underlying the SSA settlement calculations. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. Cash and real terms at 2005-06 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 21 December 2006.

English Language

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, column 487W, on English for Speakers of Other Languages, if he will publish the data to which he refers from the Learning and Skills Council's Individualised Learning Record disaggregated to the degree possible.

Phil Hope: The answer of 1 February referred to Learning and Skills Council (LSC) data which shows the increase in demand for Skills for Life English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.
	LSC data shows that between 2000/01 and 2004/05, enrolments onto basic skills learning aims increased as follows:
	
		
			   Enrolments ( Thousand ) 
			 2000/01 159,000 
			 2001/02 302,000 
			 2002/03 413,000 
			 2003/04 488,000 
			 2004/05 484,000 
			 2005/06 (1)504,000 
			 (1 )Based on data up to data October 2006, both confirmed and estimated. 
		
	
	This data is not normally published as part of the Statistical First Release on the DfES website.
	The current ESOL cohort do not all have the same learning needs as the original target cohort for Skills for Life ESOL. In order to deliver learning appropriate to the needs of both the settled community and those who need English for work in the UK, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has been asked to develop new ESOL for Work qualifications.

GCSE

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students achieved five GCSEs at grade C or above including English and mathematics in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 19 March 2007
	The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  GCSE and equivalent attempts and achievements, 1996/97 to 2005/06( 1, 2) , England 
			   Number of pupils( 3)  Percentage who achieved 5+ A*-C grades including English and Mathematics 
			  15-year-olds   
			 1996/97(4) 586,766 35.6 
			 1997/98 575,210 37.0 
			 1998/99 580,972 38.6 
			 1999/2000 580,393 40.0 
			 2000/01 603,318 40.7 
			 2001/02 606,554 42.1 
			 2002/03 622,122 41.9 
			 2003/04(5) 643,560 42.6 
			 2004/05 636,771 44.3 
			 2005/06 648,942 45.3 
			
			  Pupils at End Key Stage 4   
			 2004/05 633,414 44.9 
			 2005/06 645,931 (2)45.8 
			 (1) Including attempts and achievement in previous academic years.  (2) Figures for 2005/06 are revised from those published previously following checking with schools, all other figures are final.  (3) Number of pupils on roll aged 15 at the start of the academic year or from 2004/05 end of Key Stage 4 figures or the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in that academic year.  (4) Percentages from 1996/97 include GCSEs and GNVQs.  (5) Percentages from 2003/04 include GCSEs and other equivalent qualifications approved for use pre-16.

New Schools

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new schools were built under the direct management of  (a) his Department and  (b) local authorities in each of the past 30 years.

Jim Knight: The Department for Education and Skills does not directly procure or manage the building of new schools.
	We do not collect information on new schools built by local authorities, in support of our policies of devolving decision-making to the local level and minimising bureaucratic burden. But we estimate that since 1997, 800 new schools have been built around the country.
	However, we have information on the numbers of new schools (including replacement schools) built in recent years through the private finance initiative, and in the academies programme. This information is provided in the table below. We will collect this information systematically in Building Schools for the Future and the primary capital programme.
	Number of new schools completed in each year:
	
		
			   PFI  Academies  Total 
			 1999-2000 3 n/a 3 
			 2000-01 5 n/a 5 
			 2001-02 18 n/a 18 
			 2002-03 30 n/a 30 
			 2003-04 51 4 55 
			 2004-05 23 5 28 
			 2005-06 25 6 31 
			 2006-07 32 7 39 
		
	
	Additionally, in the voluntary aided sector, the number of new schools built each year, listed by year of project approval is:
	
		
			   Voluntary aided 
			 2001-02 4 
			 2002-03 17 
			 2003-04 7 
			 2004-05 0 
			 2005-06 1 
			 2006-07 0 
			  Note: These figures under-represent the number of new voluntary aided schools opened, as they do not include where a new school is open, but where all elements of construction are not yet completed. Nor do the figures include new voluntary aided schools approved in earlier years but completed in or after 2001-02, where the records are not readily accessible. 
		
	
	We have not searched for records on new schools going back to 1977 as this would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Pupil Exclusions: City Academies

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were excluded from each academy in the last school year; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Academies ( 1) : Number and percentage of permanent exclusions 2004/05  Schools in England 
			2004/05 
			  Establishment name  Local authority name  Number of permanent exclusions  Percentage of school population( 2) 
			 Capital City Academy Brent 11 1.21 
			 City of London Academy (Southwark) Southwark 3 0.83 
			 Dixons City Academy Bradford (3)— (3)— 
			 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham Nottingham 11 0.70 
			 Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy Lewisham (3)— (3)— 
			 Northampton Academy Northamptonshire 9 0.72 
			 Salford City Academy Salford 6 n/a 
			 Stockley Academy Hillingdon 4 0.68 
			 The Academy at Peckham Southwark 10 0.93 
			 The Business Academy Bexley Bexley 7 0.51 
			 The City Academy Bristol Bristol City of 4 0.37 
			 The King's Academy Middlesbrough 7 0.67 
			 Unity City Academy Middlesbrough 6 0.53 
			 West London Academy Ealing 22 1.95 
			 n/a = Not available (1) Academies with one or more permanent exclusions during 2004/05. (2) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the headcount of pupils in the school as at January 2005. (3) 1 or 2 exclusions, or a rate based on 1 or 2 exclusions  Note: These figures are as reported by schools and are unconfirmed.  Source:  School Census 
		
	
	Exclusions data are collected retrospectively. Information on exclusions during the 2005/06 school year is expected to be published in June 2007.
	Exclusions in academies are high relative to national averages. However, academies are placing great emphasis on getting the basics right and improving behaviour in particular. Academies often inherit a large number of disruptive pupils and need to establish good behaviour in order to raise attainment. As the new ethos and behaviour policy are enforced in an academy's early days, the number of exclusions may rise, but it typically drops down as behaviour improves.
	This phenomenon is not unique to academies—the same effect is often observed when a new head teacher transforms a struggling maintained school.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  on what dates the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's Secondary Curriculum Review External Committee has met since it was established;
	(2)  how the members of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Secondary Curriculum Review External Committee were appointed; and who was responsible for their appointment;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2007,  Official Report, column 2077W, on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, what the terms of reference are of the Secondary Curriculum Review External Committee; and who the members of the committee are.

Jim Knight: A number of representatives from government bodies, educational organisations, schools and other stakeholders were invited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to join its Secondary Curriculum Review External Committee. The QCA was responsible for the appointment of committee members.
	The current committee members are:
	Peter Walker, Secondary National Strategy
	Keith Wheeldon, Ofsted
	Mr. Hugh Baldry, The Training and Development Agency for Schools
	Ms Jenny Jupe, The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
	Ms Kathy Baker, General Teaching Council
	Professor John White, Institute of Education
	Dr. Gordon Stobart, Institute of Education
	Ms Sue Kirkham, Field House
	Mr. Steve Labedz, Admiral Lord Nelson School
	Mr. Martin Buck, Lister Community School
	Alison Mottram, Ashton on Mersey School
	Mrs. Carol Penney, South and West Association of Leaders in Special Schools
	Corri Van de Stege, The Learning and Skills Network
	Yasmin Bevan, The National College for School Leadership
	Julie Bramman, DfES
	Tina Isaacs, QCA
	Kate Moorse, QCA
	Jeremy Tafler, QCA
	John Brown, QCA
	David Downes, QCA
	The Committee's terms of reference are:
	To bring an external perspective to the development of the key stage 3 curriculum and its assessment;
	The help shape consultations with pupils, teachers, parents and other stakeholders;
	To help shape trialling and piloting aspects of the proposed curriculum and assessment changes; and
	To anticipate, and seek solutions for, possible implementation issues.
	The committee met on 17 May 2005, 21 September 2005, 24 November 2005, 6 February 2006, 21 April 2006, 2 November 2006 and 6 December 2006.

School Sponsorship

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what representations he has received from organisations based primarily outside the United Kingdom about sponsoring  (a) an academy and  (b) a foundation school with a foundation;
	(2)  when he will reply to question 111814, on academy and foundation schools, tabled by the hon. Member for Brent East on 23 January 2007.

Jim Knight: Officials in the Department for Education and Skills had preliminary discussions with two companies based primarily outside the United Kingdom back in 2005. They were keen to sponsor several academies in England but have since decided to withdraw from the proposal.
	Officials in the Department for Education and Skills have discussed supporting foundation schools with foundations (trust schools) with a wide range of organisations, including some based primarily outside the United Kingdom. Microsoft Ltd are confirmed as a partner for one of the trust school pathfinder school. However the Department does not hold a comprehensive list of every organisation that has expressed an early interest or asked for information about forming a foundation to support a school.

Schools: Admissions

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  which admissions authorities include ballot by lottery amongst their oversubscription criteria, in each local authority;
	(2)  which admissions authorities allocate places  (a) primarily by lottery and  (b) by lottery within fair banding, in each local authority;
	(3)  which admissions authorities include catchment area amongst their oversubscription criteria, broken down by local authority;
	(4)  which admissions authorities allocate places primarily by catchment area, broken down by local authority;
	(5)  how many children living within a catchment area for a school which they listed as first preference did not get a place in that school in the latest period for which figures are available, in each local authority;
	(6)  how many children living within a catchment area for a school to which they applied did not get a place in that school in the latest period for which figures are available, in each local authority.

Jim Knight: None of the data requested are collected centrally, but they may be available from individual local authorities.
	The admissions framework is flexible enough to allow admission authorities to take account of local circumstances. They may set whatever admission criteria they consider appropriate as long as they are in accordance with the School Admissions Code. Random allocation, use of catchment areas, or banding are all acceptable means of determining which children should be given priority for admission to oversubscribed schools. They can also be used together—for example, by using random allocation within a defined catchment area—or alongside other criteria—for example, giving priority to siblings.

Schools: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the dedicated schools grant was for the London Borough of Bexley in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) was first introduced in 2006-07; the funding that Bexley received in 2006-07 and the indicative allocation for 2007-08 are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2006-07 (final)  2007-08 (indicative) 
			 DSG guaranteed unit of funding per pupil 3,719.15 137.002 
			 Total DSG funding 3,969.90 145.552 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are on a cash basis 2. Prior to the introduction of the DSG, funding for nursery, primary and secondary school aged pupils was through the Education Funding System (EFS) which was part of the local government finance settlement. EFS was based on what an authority needed to fund education whereas DSG is largely based on an authority's previous spending. EFS also included funding for an authority's central functions, this is still part of DCLG's local government finance settlement rather than DSG. For these reasons EFS and DSG are not comparable. 3. The DSG does not represent the totality of education funding; there are other grants that support the schools budget which have not been included in the table.  Source: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=9405

Schools: Crimes of Violence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many incidents of violence towards  (a) staff and  (b) pupils were reported in (i) the 10 per cent. of primary schools with the (A) lowest and (B) highest levels of free school meal entitlement and (ii) the 10 per cent. of secondary schools with the (A) lowest and (B) highest levels of free school meal entitlement in 2006.

Jim Knight: The number of incidents of violence towards staff and pupils is not collected centrally.
	From the academic year 2003/04, information is available on the reasons for pupil exclusions. These reasons include 'physical assault against an adult' and 'physical assault against a pupil'.
	The table provides a breakdown of the number of permanent and fixed period exclusions during 2004/05 from maintained primary and secondary schools for physical assault against a pupil or an adult in schools with the highest and lowest proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals.
	Exclusions data are collected retrospectively. The latest available exclusions data relate to the 2004/05 academic year. Information on exclusions during the 2005/06 academic year is expected to be released in June 2007.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : permanent and fixed period exclusions for physical assault against a pupil or an  adult( 2) —2004/05 England 
			   Maintained primary schools  Maintained secondary schools 
			   10 per cent. of schools with:   10 per cent. of schools with:  
			   l owest percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3)  h ighest percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3)  All  s chools  l owest percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3)  h ighest percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 3)  All  s chools 
			 Number of schools(4) 1,766 1,764 17,642 339 339 3,367 
			
			  Exclusions for physical assault against an adult   
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 120 1,410 5,960 210 1,700 9,490 
			 Fixed period exclusions per 1,000 pupils 0.40 2.89 1.42 0.59 5.79 2.86 
			 Number of permanent exclusions(2) (5)— 70 280 10 160 870 
			 Permanent exclusions per 1,000 pupils (5)— 0.15 0.07 0.04 0.56 0.26 
			  Exclusions for physical assault against a pupil   
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 210 2,810 11,950 2,460 7,250 65,790 
			 Fixed period exclusions per 1,000 pupils 0.70 5.74 2.84 7.04 24.70 19.84 
			 Number of permanent exclusions(2) (5)— 50 240 40 220 1,460 
			 Permanent exclusions per 1,000 pupils (5)— 0.11 0.06 0.10 0.76 0.44 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Published statistics (SFR 24/2006) on permanent exclusions have been derived from data collected via the school census. These data did not include the reason for exclusion. Figures shown in this table relating to permanent exclusions have been derived from Termly Exclusions Survey returns and will not match published figures on permanent exclusions. (3) Information on the proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals has been derived from 2005 school census returns. Schools have been ranked based on the percentage of full-time pupils aged 0 to 15 and part-time pupils aged five to 15 who are known to be eligible for free school meals. (4) Schools were sorted by the proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals and size of school population. Three primary schools had the same free school meal percentage and school population at the end of the lowest 10 per cent. band and have all been included in this analysis (pushing the band size to 1,766 instead of 1,764). (5) One or two exclusions, or a rate based on one or two exclusions.  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  Source:  Termly Exclusions Survey and School Census

Teachers

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of newly qualified  (a) secondary and  (b) primary school teachers who had not taken up full-time teaching posts one year after qualification in each of the last five years in Leeds.

Jim Knight: holding answer 23 March 2007
	The following tables provide the number and percentage of final year trainees from Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Leeds gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) award by academic year who have not commenced a full-time teaching post, in either the maintained or independent sector, six months after completing their course in the academic years, 2002/03 to 2004/05:
	
		
			  Final year primary school trainees from HEI providers in Leeds( 1)  gaining QTS award by academic year that have not commenced a full-time teaching post six months after completing their course 
			 ITT trainees gaining QTS with unknown destinations 
			   Number of ITT trainees gaining QTS known not to be in full-time teaching post  Percentage of all QTS award trainees not in full-time teaching posts  Number  Percentage 
			 2002/03 70 16 80 21 
			 2003/04(2) 90 26 60 17 
			 2004/05 100 26 40 11 
			 (1) HEIs in Leeds include the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and Trinity and All Saints College.  (2) Leeds Metropolitan University is not included in 2003/04 figures because of inconsistencies in data collection and recording from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.   Source:  The TDA performance profiles. 
		
	
	
		
			  Final year secondary school trainees from HEI providers in Leed s  gaining QTS award by academic year that have not commenced a full-time teaching post six months after completing their course 
			 ITT trainees gaining QTS with unknown destinations 
			   Number of ITT trainees gaining QTS known not to be in full-time teaching post  Percentage of all QTS award trainees not in full-time teaching posts  Number  Percentage 
			 2002/03 60 10 100 16 
			 2003/04(1) 90 15 110 20 
			 2004/05 90 14 110 17 
			 (1) Leeds Metropolitan University is not included in 2003/04 figures because of inconsistencies in data collection and recording from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.   Notes: 1. Figures for final year trainees in Leeds include HEIs only, but exclude SCITT, OU and employment based routes. This is because the breakdown of teaching posts into full-time or part-time posts is only available for HEIs.  2. HEIs in Leeds include the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and Trinity and All Saints College.  3. Trainees gaining QTS award and classified as known not to be in a full-time teaching post six months after completing their course include trainees who are in part-time teaching posts, seeking a teaching post and not seeking a teaching post.  4. These figures show the number of final year trainees from HEIs in Leeds gaining QTS award who have not commenced a full-time teaching post six months after completing their course. They do not show the number of NQTs living in Leeds who are not in full-time teaching posts. Also those who are in full-time teaching posts may not necessarily be teaching in Leeds. Not all qualifying teachers will seek employment in teaching immediately; some may travel, take further study or pursue other interests before doing so.  5. Figures for 2003/04 have been affected by inconsistencies in data collection and recording for Leeds Metropolitan University from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. Therefore no data from Leeds Metropolitan University is included for 2003/04 figures.  6. Data on destinations of final year trainees for 2005/06 is not yet available.  7. The breakdown of the type of teaching posts which trainees enter (i.e. full-time or part-time) is only available for trainees who were awarded QTS in 2002/03 onwards.  8. Percentage calculation includes response whose employment status was unknown.  9. Figures are individually rounded to the nearest 10.   Source:  The TDA performance profiles.

Teachers: Redundancy Pay

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the total cost was of teacher redundancy payments in  (a) community schools,  (b) foundation schools,  (c) voluntary-aided schools,  (d) voluntary controlled schools,  (e) academies and  (f) city technology colleges in each year from 1997 to 2007;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of  (a) all teachers and  (b) teachers in (i) community schools, (ii) voluntary-aided schools, (iii) voluntary controlled schools, (iv) foundation schools, (v) academies and (vi) city technology colleges (A) took voluntary redundancy payments, (B) took early retirement, (C) retired and (D) were dismissed in each year between 1997 and 2007.

Jim Knight: Information on the number of teachers who took redundancy payments, the amount of these payments and the number of teachers who were subject to dismissal is not collected centrally.
	The following table provides the number of teachers who retired in each year from 1997/98 to 2005/06 in the maintained schools sector, city technology colleges and academies by type of retirement.
	The figures include teachers who may have left teaching service some years before being awarded retirement benefits. The year given is that of the award. Early retirements include premature and actuarially reduced benefit retirements but exclude ill-health retirements which are listed separately. This information is not available broken down for the other school types requested. 2005/06 is the latest information available.
	
		
			  Retirements from the maintained schools sector, city technology colleges and acadamies( 1) :Type of award by sex and year of award,  1997-98 to 2005-06, England 
			  Financial year (1 April to 31 March)  Early retirements( 2)  Age  Ill-health( 3)  Total 
			  1997-98( 4) 
			 Maintained schools 11,370 3,580 3,260 18,210 
			 City technology colleges 10 0 (6)— 10 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  1998-99( 4) 
			 Maintained schools 2,380 3,830 2,290 8,490 
			 City technology colleges 0 (6)— (6)— 10 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  1999-2000( 4) 
			 Maintained schools 2,650 4,270 2,320 9,240 
			 City technology colleges (6)— (6)— (6)— 10 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  2000-01( 4) 
			 Maintained schools 3,160 4,230 2,630 10,020 
			 City technology colleges 0 (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  2001-02( 4) 
			 Maintained Schools 3,480 4,420 2,380 10,270 
			 City technology Colleges (6)— (6)— 0 10 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  2002-03( 4) 
			 Maintained schools 3,960 4,960 2,030 10,950 
			 City technology colleges 10 (6)— (6)— 10 
			 Academies — — — — 
			  
			  2003-04( 4,5) 
			 Maintained schools 4,930 5,530 1,870 12,330 
			 City technology colleges 10 (6)— 0 10 
			 Academies (6)— (6)— (6)— 10 
			  
			  2004-0 5( 4,5) 
			 Maintained schools 6,060 6,430 1,580 14,060 
			 City technology colleges 10 10 (6)— 10 
			 Academies 10 (6)— (6)— 10 
			  2005-06( 4,5) 
			 Maintained schools 6,640 6,180 1,470 14,300 
			 City technology colleges (6)— 10 (6)— 10 
			 Academies 20 10 (6)— 30 
			 (1) Academies were not introduced until 2003-04. (2) The effect of the change in the Teachers' Pension Scheme as from 31 August 1997 was that many more teachers took early retirement in 1997 than in previous years. Premature includes actuarially reduced benefit retirements from 2000-01. (3) Changes in the statutory regulations governing ill-health retirement came into force on 1 April 1997. To qualify for ill-health retirement benefits a teacher must now be regarded as permanently unfit to teach. (4) All years are subject to slight revision due to the addition of retrospective awards and suspension of pension benefits where teachers return to service. (5) 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 are provisional estimates. (6) Nil or negligible.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Pensioner Statistical System (PENSTATS)

Teaching Methods

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2007,  Official Report, column 1026W, on teaching methods, what the size was of the effect on pupils' learning which was found by the research into the effectiveness of drawing connections between different subjects and areas; and whether the effect was statistically significant.

Jim Knight: Research suggesting that drawing connections between different subjects and areas of the curriculum is an effective approach which impacts on pupils1 learning is part of a wider body of research work into the principles of effective teaching. An overall effect size for this approach is not currently available.
	For example, Ellis et al. (1996) conducted a research review to determine the principles of effective teaching. Ten principles were developed from the evidence base, of which one was teaching that highlights the similarities between topics and curriculum subjects. Askew et al. (1997) found that highly effective teachers of numeracy were those who, among other things, made connections between different areas of maths and different ideas in the same area of maths. Hall and Harding (2003) found that effective literacy teachers balanced direct teaching of basic literacy skills with wider, more contextually-grounded literacy activities, often linked with other curriculum areas.
	The full references are:
	Askew, M., Brown, M., Rhodes, V., Wiliam, D. and Johnson, D. (1997). "Effective teachers of numeracy". Final report. London; King's College London.
	Ellis, E.S., Worthington., L. A. and Larkin, MJ. (1996) "Research synthesis on effective teaching principles and the design of quality tools". Worthington National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators.
	Hall, K. and Harding, A. (2003) A systematic review of effective literacy teaching in the 4 to 14 age range of mainstream schooling. In: "Research Evidence in Education Library". London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Shahid Malik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the re-offending rate is for individuals with an anti-social behaviour order in  (a) Dewsbury constituency and  (b) England and Wales.

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of individuals made subject to an anti-social behaviour order have since been convicted of a criminal offence.

Tony McNulty: ASBOs are civil orders and not an offender management tool so the information is not collected centrally.
	Numbers of ASBOs proved in court to have been breached are monitored centrally and these numbers together with breach rates are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Table BN2 (CJS area): ASBOs issued from 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2005 that were breached at least once by end 2005 
			   ASBOs issued  
			  CJS area  Total  Of which: breached( 1)  Percentage breached 
			 Avon and Somerset 213 103 48 
			 Bedfordshire 82 32 39 
			 Cambridgeshire 96 34 35 
			 Cheshire 208 90 43 
			 Cleveland 115 74 64 
			 Cumbria 115 68 59 
			 Derbyshire 125 51 41 
			 Devon and Cornwall 177 53 30 
			 Dorset 77 51 66 
			 Durham 96 71 74 
			 Essex 149 81 54 
			 Gloucestershire 68 41 60 
			 Greater London 1,163 463 40 
			 Greater Manchester 1,227 686 56 
			 Hampshire 272 133 49 
			 Hertfordshire 145 54 37 
			 Humberside 236 100 42 
			 Kent 159 22 14 
			 Lancashire 357 176 49 
			 Leicestershire 120 59 49 
			 Lincolnshire 43 21 49 
			 Merseyside 300 136 45 
			 Norfolk 117 45 38 
			 Northamptonshire 84 9 11 
			 Northumbria 302 131 43 
			 North Yorkshire 91 41 45 
			 Nottinghamshire 255 109 43 
			 South Yorkshire 245 132 54 
			 Staffordshire 170 67 39 
			 Suffolk 165 65 39 
			 Surrey 110 48 44 
			 Sussex 245 121 49 
			 Thames Valley 162 70 43 
			 Warwickshire 87 48 55 
			 West Mercia 231 103 45 
			 West Midlands 776 373 48 
			 West Yorkshire 692 384 55 
			 Wiltshire 52 25 48 
			 Dyfed Powys 35 16 46 
			 Gwent 72 46 64 
			 North Wales 168 77 46 
			 South Wales 147 59 40 
			 Total England and Wales 9,749 4,568 47 
			 (1) ASBOs may be issued in one area and breached in another. Breaches are counted in this table in the area of issue.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Passports: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passport applications were processed in Northern Ireland in each of the last six years; how many of those applications were  (a) granted and  (b) refused; and what the average time taken to process passport applications in Northern Ireland was over this period.

Joan Ryan: IPS have a single office in Northern Ireland, located in Belfast. This office processes applications for a catchment area which includes areas of the UK outside of Northern Ireland. Therefore the figures provided relate to the number of applications processed in Northern Ireland but do not represent the number of applications made by residents of Northern Ireland.
	Applications processed can have three outcomes:
	 Passed for issue
	The application was successful and approval was given for a passport to be issued.
	 Withdrawn
	The application for a passport was withdrawn prior to a final decision being made.
	 Failed
	The application failed and the applicant was not entitled to a passport.
	Table 1 displays the total number of passports processed within the Belfast office, broken down into the outcomes of passed for issue, withdrawn and failed.
	
		
			  Table 1: Belfast passport application outcomes 
			   Passed for issue  Withdrawn  Failed  Total 
			 2002 276,567 1,555 32 278,154 
			 2003 233,857 1,353 197 235,407 
			 2004 297,802 1,611 236 299,649 
			 2005 361,204 1,924 193 363,321 
			 2006 354,340 2,350 255 356,945 
		
	
	When processing passport applications IPS do not monitor the time taken to process applications which have errors or queries raised while being processed. These queries create a need for additional checks to take place and extend processing time due to requesting further information from the customer. For straightforward applications, those measured by the publicised 10 working day turnaround target, table 2 identifies the average turnaround time in days for the Belfast office.
	
		
			  Table 2: Belfast average turnaround in days for straight forward 
			   Average days 
			 2002 4.4 
			 2003 4.2 
			 2004 4.7 
			 2005 4.4 
			 2006 5.5

Prisoners: Foreigners

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals in UK prisons are from  (a) outside the EU and  (b) within the EU; what categories of offences they have committed; what estimate he has made of the number to be deported once they leave prison; and what previous offences they had committed before entering the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: At the end of December 2006 there were  (a) 8,904 foreign national prisoners from outside the European Union and  (b) 2,290 foreign national prisoners from within the European Union detained in prison establishments in England and Wales. Information on the offence groups for which the immediate custodial sentenced population of prisoners within prison establishments in England and Wales by these nationality groups can be found within the following table.
	All foreign nationals in custody have their sentences assessed in line with the guidance issued to IND and prisons on deportation matters. Those who meet the set criteria will be considered for deportation.
	Information about crimes committed by foreign nationals before they entered the UK is not routinely collected by the police. Requests for such information are made at the discretion of the investigating police force depending on operational need.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	
		
			  Prison population( 1)  within England and Wales at 31 December 2006 by UK national, EU( 2)  and non-EU foreign national and offence group 
			   Unrecorded and other  United Kingdom  Non-EU  EU (non-UK)  Total 
			 Violence against the person 42 15,507 1,007 317 16,872 
			 Sexual offences 14 6,228 589 163 6,994 
			 Robbery 11 7,915 429 167 8,522 
			 Burglary 17 7,678 96 149 7,940 
			 Theft and handling 9 3,258 154 108 3,529 
			 Fraud and forgery 18 838 817 66 1,739 
			 Drug offences 28 8,034 2,119 499 10,680 
			 Motoring offences 8 1,389 74 47 1,518 
			 Other offences 13 5,102 405 169 5,690 
			 Offence not recorded 2 319 22 2 345 
			 All 161 56,268 5,711 1,687 63,828 
			 (1) Prison population under immediate custodial sentence shown. (2) European Union as at 31 December 2006 did not yet include Bulgaria and Romania who joined on 1 January 2007

Young Offenders: Secure Accommodation

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum population capacity is of each  (a) secure children's home,  (b) secure training centre and  (c) young offender institution; what the current population is of each; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 8 March 2007
	The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Operation capacity of under-18 custodial establishments and occupancy as at 2 March 2007 
			  Establishment  Operational capacity( 1)  Custodial population at 2 March 2007 
			 Ashfield YOI 400 330 
			 Brinsford YOI 224 155 
			 Castington YOI 168 149 
			 Cookham Wood YOI 17 6 
			 Down view YOI 16 11 
			 Eastwood Park YOI 16 11 
			 Feltham YOI 240 219 
			 Foston Hall YOI 16 11 
			 Hindley YOI 192 134 
			 Huntercombe YOI 360 286 
			 Lancaster Farms YOI 250 227 
			 New Hall YOI 26 20 
			 Parc YOI 64 25 
			 Stoke Heath YOI 202 192 
			 Thorn Cross YOI 70 29 
			 Warren Hill YOI 222 198 
			 Werrington YOI 160 130 
			 Wetherby YOI 360 271 
			 Hassockfield STC 58 54 
			 Medway STC 76 65 
			 Oakhill STC 80 52 
			 Rainsbrook STC 87 83 
			 Aldine SCH 5 5 
			 Atkinson Unit SCH 10 6 
			 Aycliffe SCH 30 29 
			 Barton Moss SCH 20 20 
			 Clayfields House SCH 12 12 
			 Dyson House SCH 16 13 
			 East Moor SCH 34 24 
			 Hillside SCH 14 11 
			 Kyloe House SCH 3 1 
			 Lincolnshire SCH 7 7 
			 Orchard Lodge SCH 18 18 
			 Red Bank SCH 28 26 
			 Sutton Place SCH 8 7 
			 Swanwick Lodge SCH 10 9 
			 Vinney Green SCH 20 18 
			  3,539 2,864 
			 (1) This indicates general capacity. Actual availability may differ from day to day, for example because rooms have been damaged.

Departments: BAE Systems

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2007,  Official Report, column 630W, on Departments: BAE Systems, if he will request the permission of the two individuals to list the details on his Department's security pass system.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department will make contact with BAE Systems with this request. Accordingly I will reply directly to the hon. Member for North Norfolk in due course and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

Patents: EC Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the use of English in the development of a common community patent.

Malcolm Wicks: UK Ministers and officials have had ongoing discussions with the European Commission and others, following the consultation launched by the Commission in 2006 on the Community Patent and other initiatives to improve the European patent system. The UK is committed to a business-friendly Community patent which imposes minimal burdens due to translations. A Community patent which is too burdensome will not be used by industry and, in a Europe with more than 20 official languages, foil translation of Community patents will clearly impose high costs. We therefore hope that a reduced- or single-language solution can be found for the Community patent. However, language is understandably a highly sensitive issue, and a solution must be found which is acceptable to our European partners.

Patents: EC Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress towards the development of a community patent for the European Union.

Malcolm Wicks: Negotiations on a Community patent have been ongoing for a number of decades, and have been complicated by questions around language and jurisdiction. As the European Commission Consultation in 2006 noted, there appears no imminent prospect of achieving the unanimity required in order to establish a community patent.
	The consultation aimed to find near term steps to improve the patent system in Europe, that would help us to make progress towards the long term goal of a community patent. We anticipate that the Commission will publish its communication on those next steps over the coming few months.

Mortgages: Advisory Services

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgage advisers are regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Edward Balls: Statistics published by the Financial Services Authority show that there were 6,846 regulated mortgage intermediary firms at the end of December 2006.
	This data is available at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/About/Teams/Retail/statistics/mortgage/index.shtml

Olympic Games: Greater London

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated cost is of the VAT on the consultation of facilities for the Olympics; and what percentage of this revenue will be passed to the EU.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made to the House by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 15 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 450-66. Details of how the UK's contribution to the EC budget is determined are included in the 2006 European Community Finances White Paper (Cm 6770).

Building Regulations: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to transfer responsibility for building regulations in Wales from her Department to the Welsh Assembly Government.

Angela Smith: The National Assembly of Wales has made an approach to this Department requesting that the ability to make building regulations for Wales be transferred to the Welsh Assembly Government. Officials from my Department and the Welsh Assembly Government will shortly be meeting to identify and discuss the issues that would arise from any such transfer.

Council Housing: Heating

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will estimate  (a) the number of properties in local council or housing association ownership covered by district heating schemes and  (b) the energy use per inhabitant in such schemes; whether it is her intention (i) to make proposals and (ii) to provide incentives to improve the energy efficiency of housing not covered by such schemes; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column: 300W, which provide information about the number of homes covered by district heating systems and the energy use of inhabitants.
	To make their homes decent social landlords have to ensure homes have both efficient heating and effective insulation, this is regardless of the type of heating system currently in the home. The Department's guidance "A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation" encourages landlords to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings.
	Research conducted by the Building Research Establishment indicated that almost all landlords engaged in energy efficiency works are taking the opportunity to work to much higher standards than the minimum required by Decent Homes.
	Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), electricity and gas suppliers are required to achieve targets for the promotion of improvements in domestic energy efficiency which includes social sector homes.

Fire Services: Inspections

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the transfer for responsibility of fire service inspection to the Audit Commission.

Angela Smith: Responsibility for fire service inspection was transferred to the Audit Commission following the publication of the Government's White Paper "Our Fire and Rescue Service" in June 2003 and the subsequent Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. Since that time, Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate has not carried out any inspections of Fire and Rescue Authorities but has acted as an advisory body providing the Government, the Audit Commission and fire and rescue authorities with advice on professional fire service matters.
	The Audit Commission conducted a Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) of fire and rescue authorities and reported on their findings in July 2005. This assessment set a baseline for improvement in all fire and rescue authorities and the Audit Commission has subsequently developed a performance assessment framework for the service to measure improvement since CPA. This performance assessment framework consists of three elements—a direction of travel assessment, a use of resources assessment and a service assessment. The service assessment included an operational assessment, developed in conjunction with the Chief Fire Officers Association, and carried out by Fire and Rescue staff seconded into CLG for that purpose. Results of these assessments for 2006-07 are due to be published shortly.

Fire Services: Violence

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many duty firemen in Lancashire were subjected to  (a) physical violence and  (b) verbal abuse in each of the last 10 years; and how many convictions there were for (i) physical violence and (ii) verbal abuse on firemen in Lancashire in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The Department has been maintaining records of attacks on firefighters since April 2004, although it is not held specifically in the form requested. The total number of attacks on firefighters in Lancashire since 2004, based on returns from Lancashire fire and rescue service is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of attacks 
			 2004 6 
			 2005 24 
			 2006 41 
			 2007 to date 1 
		
	
	The Department does not collect information on the number of convictions.

Freeholds

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures have been introduced to strengthen regulation concerned with  (a) freeholds and leaseholds,  (b) the relationship between landlords and tenants and  (c) ground rents since 1997; and what plans she has to introduce further measures affecting these matters.

Yvette Cooper: The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 introduced a number of measures that made changes to leasehold legislation. These have helped redress the balance between leaseholders and landlords by strengthening and improving the law, and creating a fairer and more comprehensive system of rights for leaseholders. These measures include the requirement for landlords to serve a particular form of notice on leaseholder before ground rent becomes payable.
	We continue to work on the remaining provisions of the 2002 Act which will further improve the rights that leaseholders have. We will introduce them at the earliest opportunity.

Hostels: Finance

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what reports she has received of the effects of changes in  (a) revenue funding and  (b) numbers of bed spaces on the submission of bids by charities and registered social landlords for funding under the hostels capital improvement programme.

Yvette Cooper: Since the launch of the hostels capital improvement programme in December 2004 I have received update reports from my officials regarding the programme on a regular basis. We are not aware of any particular problems with revenue funding or bedspaces and my officials continue to closely monitor progress.
	One of the criteria for funding under the hostels capital improvement programme (HCIP) is that there is agreed supporting people or other revenue funding to ensure that high quality support services are continued as capital works are completed. As regards bedspaces, hostel residents housed elsewhere during building work and there has been no identified impact on the numbers of people sleeping rough.

Housing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many long-term empty private sector properties there were in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1980; what each figure represents (i) per 1,000 population and (ii) per 1,000 households; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Information on long term private vacancies (over six months) is only available on a consistent basis back to the year 2000.
	Long term vacancies are tabulated below by urban and rural local authorities:
	
		
			  Long term private vacancies (over six months) by urban and rural local authorities( 1) 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Total number of private vacant dwellings 
			 Rural 91,300 108,100 104,500 108,500 92,300 108,300 93,300 
			 Urban 187,600 202,100 203,300 199,900 205,400 179,800 195,500 
			 Total 278,900 310,200 307,800 308,400 297,700 288,100 288,300 
			 
			  Number of private vacant dwellings per 1,000 households( 2) 
			 Rural 12 14 14 14 12 14 12 
			 Urban 15 15 15 15 15 13 14 
			 Total 14 15 15 15 14 14 13 
			  Number of private vacant dwellings per 1,000 population( 2) 
			 Rural 5 6 6 6 5 6 5 
			 Urban 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 
			 Total 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 
			 (1) Based on the DEFRA rural definition (2004).  (2) 2003 household/population projections and estimates.   Source:  Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix 
		
	
	Since long term private vacancies are not available on a consistent basis prior to 2000, total private vacancies (long and short term) are tabulated in the following table by urban and rural local authorities every five years since 1981 to provide a long term view. The table shows that the number of private vacant dwellings per 1,000 households in rural local authorities has fallen since 1991, with a larger fall between 1996 and 2006. Vacancy rates have also fallen in urban areas since 1996.
	
		
			  Total private vacancies (long and short term) by urban and rural local authorities( 1) 
			   1981  1986  1991  1996  2001  2006 
			  Total number of private vacant dwellings 
			 Rural 198,900 206,300 241,800 239,500 219,900 204,700 
			 Urban 307,000 348,700 396,400 427,800 402,700 381,100 
			 Total 505,900 554,800 638,200 667,300 622,600 585,900 
			
			  Number of private vacant dwellings per 1,000 household( 2) 
			 Rural 34 33 36 34 30 26 
			 Urban 27 30 32 34 31 28 
			 Total 29 31 33 34 30 27 
			
			  Number of private vacant dwellings per 1,000 population( 2) 
			 Rural 12 12 14 14 12 11 
			 Urban 10 11 13 14 13 12 
			 Total 11 12 13 14 13 12 
			 1 Based on the DEFRA rural definition (2004)  2 2003 Household/Population Projections and Estimates   Source:  Housing strategy statistical appendix

Housing Data Warehouse

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1354W, on the Housing Data Warehouse, whether the council tax valuation list data being provided by the Valuation Office Agency will include the details of the council tax banding of  (a) individual properties,  (b) neighbourhoods/market areas,  (c) super-output areas and  (d) sub-sets thereof.

Phil Woolas: (a) yes;  (b),  (c) and  (d) no.

Housing Data Warehouse

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 20 February 2007,  Official Report, column 582W, on the Housing Data Warehouse, 
	(1)  what the estimated  (a) set-up costs and  (b) running costs are of the Housing Data Warehouse;
	(2)  which Departments and Government agencies will have access to the Housing Data Warehouse;
	(3)  what the live date is for the Housing Data Warehouse.

Angela Smith: The estimated costs of the Housing Data Warehouse are £9,000 for set up and £3,000 annual running costs. These are negligible because it runs on the existing IT infrastructure.
	The Housing Data Warehouse will be directly accessible only from within Communities and Local Government. There are no plans to extend direct access to other Government Departments.
	In respect of the data contained in the Housing Data Warehouse I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 8 November 2007,  Official Report, column 1571W.

Housing Revenue Accounts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to reform housing revenue accounts to allow local authorities to keep more of their rental income.

Yvette Cooper: Housing Revenue Account (HRA subsidy is based on a notional measure of authorities' income (which is mainly rents) and expenditure. If need to spend is assumed to be greater than assumed income, then the authority is assumed to have a deficit and HRA subsidy is paid to the authority to make up that shortfall. If the assumed income is greater than the assumed need to spend, this negative subsidy is captured, recycled within the HRA subsidy system and used to help pay for the subsidy entitlement of the deficit authorities. Even with this recycling, in the most recent year for which audited data are available (2005-06), the Exchequer still made an annual contribution of over £200 million.
	Surpluses (and deficits) are not related to the efficiency of a council in operating its HRA. Surpluses rarely, if ever, occur where the need to spend is greatest; if those authorities that make surpluses retained them this would, within the total funding levels agreed, mean reduced subsidies and therefore higher rents, for all those authorities with a deficit. The alternative would be higher taxes or cuts in services. The surpluses that are being generated by some authorities also come from housing that has largely been funded by central Government.
	My Department is currently working with a group of local authorities to investigate the potential benefits, in terms of asset management, efficiency and better outcomes, of allowing some councils to leave the subsidy system. Self financing would involve a one-off settlement to replace future subsidy or surplus payments. As such, it would not be a means for surplus authorities to have a larger share of overall housing resources.

Housing: Construction

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1800W, how many dwellings were  (a) permitted and  (b) built in (i) England, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) each (A) district, (B) borough and (C) unitary authority in Hampshire in each year since 2003.

Yvette Cooper: Information the dwellings granted planning permission are not held centrally.
	The following numbers of dwellings were built in England, Hampshire and each district in Hampshire since 2003-04:
	
		
			  New build completions in England, Hampshire and Hampshire districts 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 England 143,958 155,893 163,398 
			 Hampshire 5,891 6,107 6,472 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 740 729 910 
			 East Hampshire 399 443 329 
			 Eastleigh 489 829 681 
			 Fareham 270 193 327 
			 Gosport 443 185 345 
			 Hart 516 531 495 
			 Havant 197 142 229 
			 New Forest 487 504 382 
			 Portsmouth UA 512 457 630 
			 Rushmoor 137 491 423 
			 Southampton UA 573 792 860 
			 Test Valley 473 220 333 
			 Winchester 487 533 481 
			  Note:  Hampshire level figures include estimates for missing or partial LA returns. LA figures are as reported.  Source:  P2 Housebuilding return as reported by local authorities and National Housebuilding Council.

Housing: Disabled

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to ensure that sufficient funding is available through the disability facilities grant to ensure recommendations made following visits by occupational therapists to those who face access issues are implemented.

Yvette Cooper: Under the disabled facilities grant (DFG) programme it is for the local housing authority to assess the need of a disabled person for housing adaptations in the light of the mandatory entitlements to assistance set out in section 23 of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996o The housing authority must also judge whether any work to a dwelling is reasonable or practicable having regard to its age and condition.
	The grant is also means tested and subject to a maximum limit of £25,000.
	The housing authority will normally take expert advice from an occupational therapist in order to assess the need of the disabled person but the grant award under DFG must take account of all of the provisions of the DFG legislation as described.
	The Department provides ring-fenced funding to local authorities to support the expenditure incurred by them in delivering the DFG programme. In 2007-08 £126 million was made available from this Department for authorities in England. Local authorities are required to find the remainder of funding from their own resources to fulfil their statutory obligations.

Housing: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable houses were built in  (a) the London borough of Havering and  (b) Romford in each year since 2001.

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of affordable homes provided in the London borough of Havering in each financial year since 2000-01 are tabled as follows. The numbers of affordable homes provided in Romford are not readily available. Figures include both new build and acquisitions.
	
		
			  Affordable homes provided: Havering 
			   Number of homes 
			 2000-01 38 
			 2001-02 197 
			 2002-03 59 
			 2003-04 112 
			 2004-05 154 
			 2005-06 147 
			  Note:  Affordable housing includes social rent, low cost home ownership and other sub-market rental products.  Source:  Housing Corporation, local authority statistical returns.

Housing: Low Incomes

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes were built in each London borough as a result of section 106 agreements in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of affordable homes provided in each London borough as a result of a section 106 agreement in each of the last five years are tabled as follows. Figures include both new build and acquisitions.
	
		
			  Affordable homes provided through section 106 agreements: London 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham 98 0 135 42 168 
			 Barnet 25 59 74 111 66 
			 Bexley 0 30 4 0 12 
			 Brent 260 228 168 78 11 
			 Bromley 4 188 11 191 138 
			 Camden 22 39 9 128 133 
			 Croydon 37 84 67 121 130 
			 Ealing 66 204 225 132 284 
			 Enfield 72 116 1 66 26 
			 Greenwich 78 116 550 262 336 
			 Hackney (1)— 302 (1)— (1)— 182 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 168 381 300 57 
			 Haringey 85 173 (1)— 284 23 
			 Harrow 37 102 105 78 122 
			 Havering 95 65 32 53 76 
			 Hillingdon 64 86 60 63 58 
			 Hounslow 42 67 160 135 118 
			 Islington 2 156 65 44 405 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 11 59 34 0 66 
			 Kingston upon Thames 25 12 18 153 18 
			 Lambeth 86 147 332 257 224 
			 Lewisham 0 39 0 55 232 
			 Merton 22 58 12 165 37 
			 Newham 6 14 86 8 388 
			 Redbridge 177 194 180 53 323 
			 Richmond upon Thames 42 9 104 167 2 
			 Southwark 10 66 43 36 166 
			 Sutton 26 57 9 135 195 
			 Tower Hamlets 151 106 367 184 449 
			 Waltham Forest 8 50 0 77 120 
			 Wandsworth 39 80 (1)— 59 102 
			 Westminster 139 62 79 165 186 
			 London 1,847 3,136 3,840 3,676 4,853 
			 (1) Data are missing.  Notes:  1. Local authority areas do not always sum to their regional totals due to imputed figures which are only included at the regional level.  2. Figures include both new build and acquisitions.  3. Affordable homes include social rent, low cost homeownership and other sub market rental products.  4. Figures include homes funded solely or partially through section 106 agreements.  Source:  Local authority statistical returns.

Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what factors were taken into account when deciding that Supporting People agencies should be able to require efficiency savings of home improvement agencies.

Phil Woolas: Individual Supporting People administering authorities not "Supporting People agencies" are responsible for the local delivery of Supporting People services including Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs). Authorities manage this by establishing contracts with service providers, and they are responsible for managing their funding and so for delivering on any efficiencies that are required.
	Communities and Local Government is developing a Supporting People national value improvement programme from 2008 in which all Supporting People authorities will be encouraged to adopt improved commissioning and procurement practices to help to further improve overall value for money in the provision of all services.

Housing: Standards

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many arm's length management organisations (ALMOs) managed residential properties have been brought up to the Decent Homes Standard since the start of the ALMOs programme in April 2002; and how many were brought up to that standard in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 March 2007
	The following table, based on returns from local authorities and ALMOs, shows the number of dwellings managed on behalf of the council by ALMOs which have been made decent in each year since 2002-03.
	
		
			  Number of homes made decent by ALMOs 
			   Dwellings 
			 2002-03 21,949 
			 2003-04 46,050 
			 2004-05 48,583 
			 2005-06 53,849 
			 2006-07(1) 51,524 
			 Total 221,955 
			 (1)Forecast.

Housing: Standards

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many residents of arm's length management organisations (ALMOs) managed residential properties have lived in homes brought up to the Decent Homes Standard  (a) since the start of the ALMOs programme in April 2002 and  (b) in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 14 March 2007
	Communities and Local Government does not currently collect specific returns on residents whose homes, managed on behalf of the council by ALMOs, have been brought up to the Decent Homes Standard. However, by using an average number of people per council home we can estimate the following figures.
	
		
			  Number of residents living in homes made decent by ALMO s 
			   Residents 
			 2002-03 48,946 
			 2003-04 102,692 
			 2004-05 108,340 
			 2005-06 120,083 
			 2006-07(1) 114,899 
			 Total 494,960 
			 (1) Forecast.

Housing: Waiting Lists

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were registered on local authority housing waiting lists in  (a) each English region and  (b) each London local authority in 2006; and what the percentage change was on the previous year in each case.

Yvette Cooper: Information is available on numbers of households rather than people. The number of households on the waiting list for social housing in  (a) each English region  (b) each London local authority; and the percentage change on the previous year is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  (a) Number of households on waiting list for social housing, as at 1st April by region, as reported by local authorities 
			   2005  2006  Percentage change on previous year 
			 North East 89,747 95,359 6 
			 North West 200,600 217,397 8 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 227,430 247,499 9 
			 East Midlands 137,095 133,823 -2 
			 West Midlands 137,992 126,629 -8 
			 East of England 129,184 135,444 5 
			 London 309,072 328,116 6 
			 South East 181,196 195,700 8 
			 South West 131,193 151,220 15 
			 England 1,543,509 1,631,187 6 
			  Note: As reported by local authorities.  Source: Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return (HSSA) 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Number of households on waiting list by London local authority, as reported by local authorities 
			   2005  2006  Percentage change on previous year 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,321 4,575 97 
			 Barnet 13,627 16,470 21 
			 Bexley 4,528 5,955 32 
			 Brent 17,351 16,398 -5 
			 Bromley 2,998 4,282 43 
			 Camden 16,532 9,562 -42 
			 City of London 1,204 1,427 19 
			 Croydon 8,856 9,271 5 
			 Ealing 14,324 15,936 11 
			 Enfield 7,872 7,055 -10 
			 Greenwich 7,666 10,239 34 
			 Hackney 7,744 8,815 14 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8,384 7,795 -7 
			 Haringey 19,930 24,939 25 
			 Harrow 4,944 5,533 12 
			 Havering 3,477 3,876 11 
			 Hillingdon 7,471 7,136 -4 
			 Hounslow 10,382 11,666 12 
			 Islington 6,326 8,489 34 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 9,436 10,798 14 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4,903 5,726 17 
			 Lambeth 10,648 13,611 28 
			 Lewisham 18,279 17,535 -4 
			 Merton 5,188 3,278 -37 
			 Newham 25,317 29,574 17 
			 Redbridge 7,941 10,807 36 
			 Richmond upon Thames 4,898 5,726 17 
			 Southwark 7,548 8,057 7 
			 Button 3,724 3,408 -8 
			 Tower Hamlets 21,183 12,926 -39 
			 Waltham Forest 8,837 11,059 25 
			 Wandsworth 8,668 8,952 3 
			 Westminster 6,565 7,240 10 
			  Note: As reported by local authorities.  Source: Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return (HSSA) 
		
	
	Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. Not everyone on the waiting list is necessarily in urgent housing need. The waiting list includes those who consider social housing as their preferred or one of a number of housing options, and those who decide to get onto the waiting list ladder before they need or want to move house—particularly where the priority system is heavily based on waiting time.

Housing: Waiting Lists

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people in Taunton constituency are on housing waiting lists; and how many have been waiting  (a) less than six months,  (b) six to 12 months,  (c) 12 to 18 months,  (d) 18 to 24 months and  (e) over 24 months for housing.

Yvette Cooper: The constituency of Taunton covers the whole of Taunton Deane district council but also includes a large part of West Somerset district council. Information is not collected at the constituency level, only at local authority level and includes households rather than people. Information on length of waiting time on a housing list for households is not held centrally.
	However, the number of households on the waiting list for social housing in Taunton Deane, as at 1 April each year, is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 600. The links for this table is as follows:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=l163853
	Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. Not everyone on the waiting list is necessarily in urgent housing need. The waiting list includes those who consider social housing as their preferred or one of a number of housing options, and those who decide to get onto the waiting list ladder before they need or want to move house—particularly where the priority system is heavily based on waiting time.

Land

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information her Department collects on land banking by developers.

Yvette Cooper: Communities and Local Government does not collect information on landbanking by developers.
	The Callcutt Review of Housebuilding Delivery, announced by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in December 2006, will provide analysis of the acquisition, holding and disposal of land for housebuilding, the volumes of land held and the influence of land supply on levels of housebuilding production. This will include an assessment of the relationship between supply and demand for housing and any observed market failures and the means by which they may be addressed. We expect the Review to report in the autumn.

Rents: North West Region

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeowners in  (a) England,  (b) the North West,  (c) Greater Manchester and  (d) Denton and Reddish constituency pay a rent charge.

Yvette Cooper: The precise address and location of a particular property is required to access this information from the Land Registry. It is not possible to provide the quantity of homeowners paying a rent charge without a description of all of the properties relevant to the enquiry. Information on a particular premises can be obtained for a small charge by contacting the Land Registry.

Rents: Swindon

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what average rent was paid in Swindon by  (a) council tenants,  (b) tenants with a registered social landlord and  (c) tenants paying market rates in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what average rent was paid for  (a) council housing and  (b) registered social landlord housing in each local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The average rent paid for local authority housing was £57.90, for registered social landlord housing was £64.32. Figures are as at the end of April 2006 and for local authorities are based on unaudited information. Figures for the RSL sector are based on data collected by the Housing Corporation.
	The average rent paid by tenants in Swindon as at end April 2006 was £54.57, for local authority rents, £67.54 for RSL rents.
	As part of the next restructuring programme, local authority and housing association rents for similar properties are converging. Information on average rent paid by private renters in Swindon is not available. This information is available by region as tabled.
	
		
			  Table 734: Rents, lettings and tenancies: mean rent( 1)  of "free market"( 2)  private tenancies: by region 
			  £ a month 
			   1994-95 and 1995-96 combined  1995-96 and 1996-97 combined  1996-97 and 1997-98 combined  1997-98 and 1998-99 combined  1998-99 and 1999-2000 combined  1999-2000 and 2000-01 combined 
			 North East 267 283 263 256 240 257 
			 North West 282 307 277 287 329 330 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 259 266 267 268 283 284 
			 The North 272 289 271 276 297 300 
			 East Midlands 251 256 266 303 304 279 
			 West Midlands 274 300 303 280 279 316 
			 The Midlands 262 278 285 290 291 296 
			 East 324 339 353 356 359 387 
			 London 502 549 577 613 642 655 
			 South East 386 390 421 437 441 470 
			 South West 283 306 318 339 355 364 
			 The South 400 426 445 465 483 511 
			 England 350 373 380 390 403 421 
		
	
	
		
			  £ a month 
			   2000-01 and 2001-02 combined  2001-02 and 2002-03 combined  2002-03 and 2003-04 combined  2003-04 and 2004-05 combined  2004-05 and 2005-06 combined 
			 North East 301 311 314 327 323 
			 North West 334 343 350 359 371 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 294 324 350 374 359 
			 The North 314 331 344 359 357 
			 East Midlands 323 357 364 371 385 
			 West Midlands 342 357 370 370 383 
			 The Midlands 332 356 366 371 384 
			 East 407 417 444 492 530 
			 London 713 817 827 775 798 
			 South East 517 584 586 565 588 
			 South West 396 413 419 446 469 
			 The South 553 613 628 614 639 
			 England 460 502 518 517 534 
			 (1) Before deduction of housing benefit where applicable. (2) Assured and assured shorthold tenancies accessible to the public without special conditions.  Note:  Sampling variability is too great for the figures to give a reliable indication of change between years at regional level.  Source:  DCLG Survey of English Housing  Latest update 4 October 2006 Next update November 2007

Right to Buy Scheme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been sold under the right to buy since its introduction.

Yvette Cooper: Between 1 October 1980 and 31 March 2006; 1,735,000 council properties have been sold through the right to buy scheme in England.

Social Rented Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social housing tenants  (a) in each English region and  (b) in each London local authority moved via Homeswap in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: Homeswap was the name given to a scheme for social housing tenants who transfer from one local authority or housing association property to another, across local authority boundaries, by advertising their existing property for an exchange with a similar tenant wishing to move in the opposite direction. We do not collect data on Homeswap specifically, but do routinely collect data on mutual exchanges which include those formally arranged through the Homeswap scheme as well as any other exchanges within the local authority. Information is available on number of dwellings rather than social housing tenants. Dwellings let through mutual exchanges within the local authority are shown for the last five years in  (a) each English region and  (b) each London local authority in the table.
	
		
			  (a) Dwellings let through mutual exchange, as at 1 April by region, as reported by local authorities 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 North East 1,638 1,525 1,343 1,396 1,272 
			 North West 1,627 1,135 1,082 1,101 972 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,546 1,406 1,570 1,860 1,495 
			 East Midlands 2,478 1,668 1,468 1,556 1,463 
			 West Midlands 2,479 2,305 1,869 1,578 1,548 
			 East of England 3,195 2,707 2,444 2,248 2,207 
			 London 2,811 3,202 2,522 2,299 2,243 
			 South East 2,768 2,393 2,241 2,211 2,160 
			 South West 1,546 1,433 1,486 1,533 1,540 
			 England 20,088 17,774 16,025 15,782 14,900 
			  Source:  Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return (HSSA). 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Dwellings let through mutual exchange, as at 1 April by London local authority, as reported by local authorities 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking and Dagenham 86 203 127 127 137 
			 Barnet 115 99 73 88 80 
			 Bexley 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brent 21 16 23 16 29 
			 Bromley 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Camden 108 110 88 94 57 
			 City of London 4 6 4 5 6 
			 Croydon 154 154 148 159 145 
			 Ealing 102 105 61 15 46 
			 Enfield 68 103 90 150 138 
			 Greenwich 131 183 211 106 165 
			 Hackney 41 59 63 41 67 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 98 107 71 74 55 
			 Haringey 79 72 59 66 54 
			 Harrow 29 35 18 21 29 
			 Havering 72 63 46 56 64 
			 Hillingdon 162 145 141 101 69 
			 Hounslow 173 175 124 133 114 
			 Islington 193 139 163 101 167 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 31 30 36 15 .36 
			 Kingston upon Thames 41 45 40 46 34 
			 Lambeth 96 101 66 36 15 
			 Lewisham 250 291 160 148 93 
			 Merton 62 59 45 51 48 
			 Newham 107 115 99 88 85 
			 Redbridge 22 16 21 30 31 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Southwark 144 180 160 128 133 
			 Sutton 79 85 98 98 74 
			 Tower Hamlets 111 141 62 84 26 
			 Waltham Forest 96 173 108 101 118 
			 Wandsworth 85 112 66 92 89 
			 Westminster 51 80 51 29 39 
			  Source:  Communities and Local Government Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return (HSSA).

Sustainable Development: Rapid Transit System

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has for the integration of light rail systems  (a) into the new sustainable communities and  (b) in existing urban areas being regenerated.

Phil Woolas: The Government recognise that access to good quality local services and infrastructure, including transport, is a key element of creating sustainable communities, It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine their transport needs and to develop appropriate solutions in each case, taking account of local and regional plans.

Telecommunications

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether in addition to the forthcoming consultation on non-domestic rates for unbundled local loops she has any plans to take further steps on the wider review of rating telecoms infrastructure as outlined in the Government's response to the 2002 Annual Report from the Broadband Stakeholder Group.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), to the then hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Clegg) on 21 February 2005,  Official Report, column 245W. There are no plans to take any further steps on the rating of telecoms infrastructure beyond the forthcoming consultation and subsequent secondary legislation on local loop unbundling.

Temporary Accommodation: Swindon

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people lived in temporary accommodation in Swindon in each year since 1995.

Yvette Cooper: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected quarterly at local authority level, in respect of households rather than people.
	Information reported each quarter by local authorities about their activities under homelessness legislation includes the number of households in temporary accommodation on the last day of the quarter. The figures include both those households who have been accepted as owed the main homelessness duty, and those for which enquiries are pending.
	A summary table showing the total number of households in temporary accommodation, from 1997-98 to 2005-06, for each local authority (including Swindon,) was placed in the Library of the House on 23 October 2006.
	Key data at local authority level is published in supplementary tables to our quarterly statistical release on statutory homelessness. These are placed in the Library each quarter, as well as published on our website. Data on the number of households in temporary accommodation in the Thamesdown district of Wiltshire, for years prior to 1997-98, are already available in the Library.
	In January 2005 the Government set a target of halving the number of households in all forms of temporary accommodation used by local authorities to discharge their main duty under the homelessness legislation.

Valuation Office

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 11 December 2006,  Official Report, column 906W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what the expected payments by  (a) Capgemini and  (b) the Agency to (i) CLT and (ii) Tyler Technologies are in 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: Payments will depend on the support to be provided, which is subject to discussion.

Armed Forces' Housing

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the provision of local authority housing for former members of the armed forces.

Derek Twigg: I discussed the issue of local authority housing for former members of the armed forces when I met my hon. Friend, the Minister for Local Government, on 13 March. We agreed that our officials should work together to ensure that servicemen and women are fairly treated in terms of access to social housing.

Injured Troops

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he next expects to meet Department of Health Ministers to discuss the medical treatment of injured service personnel.

Derek Twigg: I am looking forward to sharing a platform at the veterans plenary conference on 28 March with the Minister of State for Health Services. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I met with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 22 February. There is regular contact between our Departments at official level, both formally through the Partnership Board which meets three time a year, and informally as required.

Afghanistan: Peace Keeping Operations

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for changes to the number of personnel deployed in Afghanistan.

Des Browne: As I explained to the House on 26 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 619-21, the UK has decided to fill one of NATO's most pressing requirements—a manoeuvre battalion for Regional Command (South). That means that, over the summer our forces in Afghanistan will increase from around 6,300 to settle at around 7,700. The current planning assumption remains that these forces are committed until 2009. I and the Chiefs of Staff agree that this commitment is manageable.

Afghanistan: Peace Keeping Operations

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many British helicopters are available to UK forces in Afghanistan;
	(2)  how many British  (a) Chinook,  (b) Lynx and  (c) Apache helicopters are (i) operationally available and (ii) fit to fly on a typical day in Afghanistan;
	(3)  how many flying hours per day on average the British  (a) Lynx,  (b) Apache and  (c) Chinook helicopters are available in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: The following UK helicopters are currently based in Afghanistan: Chinook CH-47 support helicopters; Apache AH-64 attack helicopters; and Lynx light-utility helicopters. We would not expect all the helicopters to be available at any one time, due to requirements for routine maintenance, and therefore daily flying hours and availability will fluctuate. I am withholding further details as it would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of our armed forces.
	We continue to keep our helicopter requirements under review to ensure that we have sufficient helicopter support to meet current and anticipated tasks.

Air Force: Military Bases

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which  (a) Ministers,  (b) members of the Intelligence and Security Committee and  (c) other hon. Members have visited (i) RAF Menwith Hill, (ii) RAF Molesworth, (iii) RAF Lakenheath, (iv) RAF Mildenhall, (v) RAF Croughton, (vi) RAF Fairford, (vii) RAF Fylingdales and (viii) RAF St. Mawgan since January 2000; and what the date was of each such visit.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 February 2007
	Since January 2000 Defence Ministers have visited the RAF stations at Menwith Hill, Molesworth, Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Croughton, Fairford, Fylingdales and St. Mawgan on the following occasions:
	 Secretary of State
	5 July 2001—Visit to Menwith Hill
	6 January 2003—Visit to RAF Fylingdales
	15 July 2005—Visit to RAF Fairford
	 Minister for the Armed Forces
	24 February 2000—Visit to RAF Menwith Hill
	26 June 2003—Attendance at a public meeting at RAF Fylingdales
	19 October 2004—Visit to RAF Mildenhall
	17 August 2006—Visit to RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales
	12 October 2006—Visit to RAF Fairford
	16 October 2006—Visit to RAF Molesworth
	 Minister for Defence Procurement
	21 July 2002—Visit to RAF Fairford
	18 July 2003—RIAT Dinner at RAF Fairford
	 Under Secretary of State for Defence
	16 July 2004—Visit to RAF Fairford
	Our records also show that members of the Intelligence and Security Committee made visits to RAF Menwith Hill on 22 May 2000, 18 October 2004 and 13 July 2006. Visits by other Members of Parliament to the RAF stations include:
	 RAF Menwith Hill
	Quentin Davies MP visited on 18 July 2001
	 RAF Molesworth
	Jonathan Djanogly MP visited on 10 January 2003, 25 July 2003, 21 April 2006, 29 September 2006 and 16 October 2006
	 RAF Mildenhall
	James Paice MP visited on 7 July 2006
	Richard Spring MP visited on 18 January 2002, 19 October 2004 and 14 July 2006
	 RAF Croughton
	Timothy Boswell MP visited on 26 May 2005
	 RAF Fairford
	The right hon. James Arbuthnot MP visited on 14 July 2006
	Colin Breed MP visited on 14 July 2006
	Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP visited on 24 September 2003 and 14 July 2006
	The right hon. Duncan Smith MP visited on 16 April 2003
	Adam Holloway MP visited on 14 July 2006
	Gerald Howarth MP visited on 15 July 2005 and 15 July 2006
	Mark Lancaster MP visited on 14 July 2006
	Ian Liddell-Granger MP visited on 14 July 2006
	Andrew Rosindell MP visited on 15 July 2005 and 14 July 2006

Armed Forces: Legal Profession

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) military and  (b) civilian personnel were serving with the Army legal corps in each year since 2000.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 March 2007
	The following table shows the number of military and civilian personnel working for the Army legal service (ALS) as at 1 January each year since 2000.
	
		
			  Adjutant general's corps (army legal services) trained army officer and civilian strength 
			  1 January:  Officers( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3)  Civilians( 4,)( )( 5) 
			 2000 80 70 
			 2001 100 60 
			 2002 100 70 
			 2003 100 80 
			 2004 100 80 
			 2005 100 90 
			 2006 110 90 
			 2007 120 90 
			 (1) Figures include all AG Corps (ALS) Officers including those Officers with a rank of Colonel and above. (2) The figures are for trained regular army officers only and therefore exclude all reservists. (3) Only Army personnel capbadged AG ALS are included in the figures. Therefore the figures exclude those personnel from other arm/services attached to or supporting AG ALS. (4) Civilians working in the following units are included: Director General Legal Services, Directorate of Army Legal Services, Army Prosecuting Authority (Germany), HQ Army Prosecuting Authority (UK), Office for Standards of Casework and the Officer and Soldier Complaints Authority Army Appeals Wing. (5) Full-time equivalent staff counts part-time staff by the number of hours they work as a proportion of their full-time conditioned hours.  Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many courts martial have been held to try the conduct of British soldiers in Iraq; and what the charges were in each case in which no legal proceedings remain active.

Adam Ingram: Since 2003, there have been a total of 36 courts-martial held to try the conduct of British soldiers serving in Iraq.
	The charges in each case are:
	
		
			  Courts-martial  Charges 
			  2003  
			 0 — 
			   
			  2004 (10)  
			 1 Wounding with Intent 
			 2 Theft 
			 3 Theft 
			 4 Disobeying a Lawful Command 
			 5 Disobeying a Lawful Command 
			 6 Disgraceful Conduct 
			 7 2 charges of Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			 8 Wounding with Intent 
			 9 Aggravated Vehicle Taking 
			 10 Indecent Assault 
			   
			  2005 (12)  
			 11 Section 69 Conduct 
			 12 Section 33 Using Violence 
			 13 Theft 
			 14 Disgraceful Conduct 
			 15 3 charges of Disgraceful Conduct; Battery and Section 69 
			 16 Conduct 
			 17 Negligence 
			 18 Section 69 Conduct 
			 19 Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm 
			 20 Battery 
			 21 Drunkenness 
			 22 7 charges of Murder 
			   
			  2006 (11)  
			 23 Disgraceful Conduct 
			 24 2 charges of Racially Aggravated Harassment 
			 25 Handling Stolen Goods 
			 26 4 charges of Manslaughter 
			 27 2 charges of Corruption 
			 28 Theft 
			 29 Possession of a Controlled Drug 
			 30 Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm 
			 31 Dishonesty 
			 33 Battery 
			 34 2 charges of Possession of a Prohibited Weapon and 2 charges of Perversion of the Course of Public Justice 
			   
			  2007 to date (2)  
			 35 3 charges of Negligently Performing a Duty; 
			 36(1) Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm; 2 charges of Inhuman Treatment; Manslaughter; and Perversion of the Course of Public Justice 
			 (1) In case 36 there is an additional one charge of Inhuman Treatment which still has legal proceedings outstanding.

Marines: Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Marine commandos there are; and what the planned target number for the period 2006-07 was.

Adam Ingram: On 1 February 2007 there were 5,540 trained Royal Marines Commandos.
	The requirement for Royal Marines Commandos in April 2006 was 5,970 and 6,030 in April 2007.
	 Note:
	These figures include Regular personnel and excludes full-time reserve personnel and activated reservists.

Breast Feeding

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to promote breast feeding in 2007-08.

Caroline Flint: The Department is planning a comprehensive year-round communications package, including marketing support that will be launched at the National Breastfeeding Awareness Week to be held on 13-19 May. We are in the process of developing activities such as television and radio filler advertising, updating website, and PR activity as well as developing educational and promotional materials. We are also working with UNICEF in developing joint publications on infant feeding.
	The Department is continuing to work with the Food Standards Agency on the implementation of the European Union Directive on infant formula and follow-on-formula. In addition, we have appointed a new National Infant Feeding Adviser, who will be actively involved in promoting breastfeeding by developing activities locally to help increase breastfeeding rates and supporting health professionals.

Breast Feeding

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department spent promoting breast feeding in each year between 2002-03 and 2006-07; which organisations received such funding in each year; and for what purposes funding was provided in each year.

Caroline Flint: Since 2002, the Department has funded a range of activities promoting breastfeeding and infant feeding. The following table sets out the funding provided each year for breastfeeding promotion from 2002-07.
	
		
			  Financial year  Departmental spend on breastfeeding promotion (£) 
			 2002-03 280,000 
			 2003-04 462,000 
			 2004-05 747,000 
			 2005-06 743,000 
			 2006-07 729,011 
		
	
	Most of the funding available was spent centrally in developing promotional and educational materials, PR activities for the breastfeeding campaigns, developing and updating websites, conferences and supporting the work of the National Network of Breastfeeding Co-ordinators.
	In 2004-05, the Department spent approximately £350,000 in developing and distributing a resource pack for health professionals. Since 2005, the Department provided approximately £12,000 to the Breastfeeding Network in support of developing a National Helpline Number on breastfeeding. In addition, the Department has also provided grants to four voluntary organisations under the Section 64 Grants Scheme to promote their work on breastfeeding. We have provided core grant of £13,000 for 2007-08 to the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of people in residential care homes of whom third-party top-up fees are  (a) sought and  (b) received; what estimate she has made of the average top-up fee paid in respect of such people; and what steps the Government are taking to prevent such fees being regressive;
	(2)  if she will bring forward proposals to reduce the number of care home residents who are affected by third-party top-up fees; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: This information is not collected centrally in the form requested. However, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) conducted a United Kingdom wide survey of 'Care Homes For Their Care Homes For Older People in the UK' report, published in May 2005. The OFT found that the average care home in the UK had 32 places of which 29 were occupied. Of these, seven, around 24 per cent. were paid for by a combination of the local authority and a third party top-up. The UK average third party top-up was £65.33p a week.
	The detail of contracting arrangements between local councils and care homes is a matter for local decision. The Government do not set or recommend rates at which councils contract with care homes. We think it is important that councils are able to tailor contracts to specific local circumstances. However, the Government has made available record levels of funding for social care. Since 1997, Government grants for local services, including social care, have increased by £28.4 billion or 39 per cent. in real terms.
	This substantial funding is making a real difference. Although, in their annual 'Care of the Elderly: UK Market Survey 2006', independent market analysts Laing and Buisson reported that around half of local authorities increased the fees they pay to care homes by less than 3.5 per cent. this follows a three year period, 2002-03 to 2004-05 during which Laing and Buisson reported that payments increased at an unprecedented rate. This is clear evidence that local authorities have been using the additional resources provided by central Government to increase payments to care homes and rebalance the care home market.

Care Homes: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential care home places there are in each strategic health authority (SHA); and what the average cost per place is in each SHA.

Andy Burnham: I am informed by the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that data on the number of care homes and places are not collected by strategic health authority area. CSCI is able to supply information on the number of care homes and places in its regions, of which there are nine in England. These data are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of registered adult care and nursing homes and places by CSCI region 
			  Region  Homes  Places 
			 East Midlands 1,605 40,809 
			 Eastern 1,859 45,933 
			 London 2,012 40,314 
			 North East 948 25,723 
			 North West 2,237 61,631 
			 South East 3,642 79,418 
			 South West 2,634 56,479 
			 West Midlands 1,931 44,446 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 1,713 47,967 
			 Totals 18,581 442,720 
			  Note: Numbers include residential homes for older people and for younger adults (aged 18-65).  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database—snapshot on 13 March 2007. 
		
	
	Information on the costs of care home places is not collected centrally.

Doctors

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made levels of motivation of doctors in the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: The Department takes the welfare of all national health service employees very seriously. Morale among NHS staff can be difficult to gauge, however, the Healthcare Commission NHS annual staff surveys in 2005 indicated that staff remain generally satisfied, with job satisfaction identified as 73.78 per cent. across all staff, 69.32 per cent. within acute trusts and all medical staff in acute trusts 73.31 per cent.

Health Services: Greater London

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has carried out equality impact assessments of  (a) the decision to close the Maudsley hospital 24 hour emergency clinic,  (b) the reduction in the budget of the South London and Maudsley NHS hospital trust for 2007-08,  (c) the reduction in the budget of the Southwark primary trust for 2007-08 and  (d) the reduction in the budget of the Lambeth primary care trust for 2007-08.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the answers provided, 20 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 858-59W and 861-62W.

Health Services: Gambling

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to provide additional services to treat gambling addiction in areas approved for the licensing of a large casino, with particular reference to Solihull.

Rosie Winterton: Problem gamblers, who are entitled to treatment under the national health service, can access services in primary care and secondary care including specialised mental health and addiction services. There are currently no central plans to provide additional services in areas approved for the licensing of a large casino. However, we will continue to responsible for assessing and commissioning services to meet the needs of the populations that they serve.

Heart Diseases

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average period of time was which patients have waited for a myocardial perfusion scan in  (a) West Lancashire,  (b) the North West and  (c) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not available in the format requested. The table shows the number of people waiting more than six and 13 weeks for a routine myocardial perfusion study.
	
		
			  Waiting times information for routine myocardial perfusion study, August 2006 
			  Organisation code  Organisation name  Number waiting six to 13 weeks  Number waiting over 13 weeks 
			 RVY Southport And Ormskirk Hospital National Health Service Trust 0 0 
			 RXL Blackpool, Fylde And Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust 63 256 
			 RXN Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 101 85 
			 Q31 All North West Strategic Health Authority 716 1,715 
			  All England 3,981 4,298 
			  Source:  Department of Health, Diagnostic Census.

Heart Diseases: Irish

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of research on the risk faced by Irish people in England dying prematurely from heart disease compared to other groups; and what steps are being taken by her Department to address this risk.

Rosie Winterton: The Health Survey for England 2004, supplement, The health of minority ethnic groups, collected information from the seven largest minority ethnic groups in England including Black Caribbean, Black African, Indian, Pakistan, Bangladeshi, Chinese and Irish. The general population survey reported that cardiovascular disorder diagnosed by a doctor was most prevalent in Irish men and women.
	The survey also looked at risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Significantly, it shows that Irish men were more obese and that their prevalence for smoking and drinking was higher than the general population. Irish women have higher blood pressure and both drink and smoke more than the general population. These are all risk factors for CVD which includes coronary heart disease (CHD).
	The Department have an overarching target to improve mortality for CVD which incorporates a specific target for tackling health inequalities:
	To improve the health of the population by substantially reducing the mortality rates by 2010, (from the OHN baseline, 1995-97) from heart disease and stroke related diseases by at least 40 per cent. in people under 75, with at least a 40 per cent. reduction in the inequalities gap between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators and the population as a whole.
	Those areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators have been designated Spearhead primary care trusts. They are responsible for designing and delivering services to meet the needs of their local population, taking account of issues such as ethnic mix. Latest data show continued improvements in CVD mortality inequalities with a 27.9 per cent. reduction in the absolute CVD inequality gap. This has been achieved by promoting healthier lifestyles and with the increased distribution of preventative drugs such as statins.

Kidney Diseases

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in  (a) the UK,  (b) the West Midlands and  (c) Coventry.

Rosie Winterton: There is no national registry of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Over 99.9 per cent. of people with CKD will be under the care of general practitioners and not be seen by secondary or tertiary hospital services.
	At general practice level, the maintenance of a practice register of patients with CKD became a part of the quality and outcomes framework in April 2006, which in due course should mean that a very rich dataset will be available for every community in the country.

Kidney Diseases

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has plans to increase the provision and availability of home dialysis equipment.

Rosie Winterton: Choice is acknowledged as being of paramount importance in the "National Service Framework for Renal Services", and that choice includes home dialysis. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recommended that patients should be offered the choice of home haemodialysis, where clinically indicated, as a cost effective alternative to haemodialysis in a hospital or satellite unit. The Department is currently hosting a seminar to promote the availability of home dialysis in the national health service.

Mental Health Services: Ethnic Groups

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why the best practice guide Positive Steps: Supporting Race Equality in Mental Health Care of 21 February 2007 does not include the Irish as a specific category; and whether this practice is consistent with the categories recommended in the Department's guide to ethnic monitoring.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is committed to the promotion of equality in the national health service, for staff, patients and the public. Delivering race equality (DRE) in mental health is a comprehensive five year action plan for tackling racial inequality in mental health care.
	The definition of black minority ethnic (BME) in the DRE action plan is used to refer to all minority ethnic groups in England. It does not only refer to skin colour but to people of all groups who may experience discrimination and disadvantage, such as those of Irish origin, Mediterranean origin and East Europe migrants.
	Most of the Positive Steps guide is applicable to all these groups. The guide is intended to expand and develop over time. It currently includes information specific to two BME communities. Information on others, including the Irish, will be added shortly.

Mid-Essex Hospital Trust: Vacancies

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will clarify her answer of 20 March 2007 to question 127533, tabled by the hon. Member for West Chelmsford, on vacancies at the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect estimates of projected vacancy levels by trust. It is for local national health service providers in consultation with commissioners, to estimate their work force requirements to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations.
	The national three month vacancy survey due to be carried out at the end of this month will show how many vacancies have been unfilled for three months in each trust in England. The results of this survey will be published in the summer.

Midwives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered midwives  (a) left the NHS,  (b) returned to the NHS and  (c) were made redundant in each of the last 12 years for which records are available; and how many of these posts were not then filled or replaced.

Rosie Winterton: The number of registered midwives who left the national health service in the last 12 years is not collected centrally.
	Since 1999 over 1,200 midwives had returned to the NHS as at March 2004.
	Information on redundancies was collected for the first time last year. There were nine compulsory midwife redundancies in England in the nine months up to 31 December 2006.
	This needs to be seen in the context of the last census showing there were 24,808 midwives employed in the NHS in England an increase of 2,423 (10.8 per cent.) since 1997.
	Information on how may of these posts were not then filled or replaced is not collected centrally.

NHS Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 1719-20W, on NHS expenditure, whether her Department has discussed the consistency of methodology for calculating health expenditure per capita with officials from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Andy Burnham: In submitting the data officials from the Department and the Welsh Assembly Government did not hold specific discussions on the comparability of the data.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) accumulated financial position of the NHS and  (b) the in-year financial position of the NHS was in each year since 1996-97.

Andy Burnham: The national health service manages its resources on an annual basis, therefore the year-end financial position represents the accumulated position. The in-year financial position can only be provided from 2002-03 as this the first year that adjustments for prior year performance was made. These figures are presented in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Total NHS net surplus/(deficit)  Total NHS in-year surplus/(deficit) 
			 1996-97 (459) n/a 
			 1997-98 (121) n/a 
			 1998-99 (18) n/a 
			 1999-2000 (129) n/a 
			 2000-01 112 n/a 
			 2001-02 71 n/a 
			 2002-03 96 (5) 
			 2003-04 73 68 
			 2004-05 (221) (298) 
			 2005-06 (547) (407) 
			 2006-07(1) (437) 269 
			 (1) Quarter three forecast.  Notes: 1. The figures in the table exclude foundation trusts. 2. The 2006-07 forecast figures exclude the £450 million savings identified by SHAs through their continued prudent management of central NHS programme funds.  Source: NHS Summarisation Schedules 1996-97 to 2005-06 and NHS financial monitoring returns 2006-07

Pinderfields

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from the hon. Member for Normanton (Ed Balls) on Pinderfields hospital in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 23 March 2007
	My right hon. Friend the former Minister of State for Quality and Patient Safety, (Jane Kennedy), met with my hon. Friends the Members for Hemsworth (Jon Trickett), Normanton (Ed Balls), Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), Selby (Mr. Grogan), and Elmet (Colin Burgon) on 29 March 2006.
	My right hon. Friend The Secretary of State met with my hon. Friends the Members for Hemsworth (Jon Trickett), Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper), Wakefield (Mary Creagh) and my noble Friend Lord Lofthouse on 21 November 2006.

Smoking: Legislation

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish guidance on the enforcement and implementation of the smoke-free legislation.

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on enforcing the public smoking ban.

Caroline Flint: The Department published guidance on smokefree legislation for businesses on 23 March.
	The guidance entitled "Everything you need to prepare for the new smokefree law on 1 July 2007" includes support materials to assist business to be ready for implementation, including no-smoking signs. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	The guidance will be posted during April to businesses in England with employees, and is also available on the Smokefree England website at www.smokefreeengland.co.uk
	The Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) has published on 23 March guidance for local council regulatory officers to support the successful and consistent implementation of smokefree legislation across England. The LACORS guidance was developed in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and in consultation with the Department. The guidance has been placed in the Library.